Kolkata experienced its first significant downpour of the season, causing widespread flooding and severe traffic disruptions across the city.
The torrential rain, lasting from 2 pm to 3 pm, inundated large parts of south and central Kolkata, overwhelming the city’s drainage system and leaving traffic authorities scrambling to manage the chaos. The rainfall averaged around 50.6 mm across the city, with the Ballygunge drainage pumping station recording an exceptional 114 mm within the hour. This deluge led to substantial waterlogging on key thoroughfares including Ballygunge, Gariahat Road, Rashbehari Avenue, Kalighat Road, Hazra Road, Bhowanipore, and Mominpore. The situation was exacerbated by the toppling of a tree on Lee Road, further hindering traffic flow.
Central Kolkata was equally affected, with significant water accumulation on Hungerford Street, Theatre Road, and Park Street. As a result, numerous vehicles had to be rerouted via JL Nehru Road and AJC Bose Road, while MG Road, Strand Road, N S Road, Brabourne Road, and Lalbazar Street also faced disruptions. The inundation extended to elevated infrastructure, with waterlogging reported on the Maa and AJC Bose Road flyovers and the ramps to Vidyasagar Setu. A corridor in the Park Street metro station was flooded, offering no respite to commuters underground. The aftermath of the downpour lingered for at least four hours, causing significant delays for motorists and daily commuters. A motorist heading towards south Kolkata found himself caught in a traffic snarl on the waterlogged Congress Exhibition Road in Park Circus. Syed Amir Ali Avenue, particularly the stretch between Beck Bagan and Ballygunge near the Ice Skating Rink, saw severe congestion, with travel time stretching to over half an hour to cover a mere 1.1 km around 5 pm. The travel time on the 3.8 km stretch between Jadavpur 8B bus stand and Ballygunge Phari extended to an hour during the evening rush. In a bid to evade the clogged Syed Amir Ali Avenue, many motorists opted for parallel roads such as Ballygunge Circular Road, Gurusaday Road, and Ballygunge Park Road, only to encounter further delays.
By 6.30 pm, waterlogging had crippled traffic on CIT Road, forcing bus passengers to disembark in the middle of the road, which led to frequent stops and prolonged signal waits. Traffic snarls continued along Dr Lal Mohan Bhattacharya Road near Moulali, illustrating the far-reaching impact of the downpour. This severe weather event highlighted the critical need for enhanced drainage infrastructure and robust emergency response mechanisms in Kolkata to better manage such extreme weather conditions in the future.
