Civic body struggles to flush out water amid downpour, high tide
Times of India | 24 September 2025The rise in water levels amid the intense downpour at night forced the KMC's drainage department to shut the sluice gates that drain the storm water into the river to prevent the surging tide from flowing into the city. It turned the city into a saucer with the rain piling on to overwhelm the drainage network.
In south Kolkata, Garia witnessed the heaviest overnight rain of 332 mm, followed by Kalighat (280 mm) and Ballygunge (264 mm).
Dhakuria, Lake Gardens, Jodhpur Park and Anwar Shah Road got submerged, as did areas around Park Circus, Bhowanipore and Mominpore. In north, KMC struggled to flush storm water out of "chronic spots", such as Thanthania, Muktarambabu Street, Amherst Street, Sukeas Street, Bowbazar Street, College Street, MG Road and CR Avenue.
Residents of Belgachhia, Beliaghata, Maniktala and Ultadanga also witnessed prolonged waterlogging.
Mayor Firhad Hakim, who woke up to a heavily flooded Chetla near his home, said, "I have not seen such a downpour in my life. Despite the best efforts by our team, storm water couldn't recede faster due to overflowing outfall canals. A high tide made the situation complex." MMiC (drainage) Tarak Singh said lock gates were shut from midnight to 5 am amid the high tide. In that time, the city got nearly 200 mm of rain.
The sluice gates were opened at 5 am but with the river swelling again in the afternoon, they were closed again.
Officials feared if fresh rain coincided with the rising water level, parts of the city could sink further into chaos.
The city's drainage system is largely gravity-fed, relying on canals and sewers to empty into the Hooghly. When the river swells—at times above 5m in peak tide— sluice gates are shut to prevent river water from back-flowing into canals. This blocks the discharge of storm water, trapping rain inside the city.
Low-lying areas stay flooded till the tide recedes, said an official.
Town planners said the city's drainage network, much of it built in colonial times, was outdated for today's population and rainfall patterns. Plastic waste and debris have choked sewers and gully pits, canals and riverbeds have silted up and encroachment on narrowed water channels.
The latest deluge raised questions about Kolkata's resilience in the face of extreme weather. As high tide dictates the rhythm of drainage here, a civic official said, "We can only drain when the river allows us to. When rain and tide join hands, Kolkata drowns."
