Minister Agnimitra vists lock gates to review monsoon preparedness
The Statesman | 2 June 2026
The West Bengal government on Tuesday intensified its preparations for the upcoming monsoon, with urban development and municipal affairs minister Agnimitra Paul conducting an extensive inspection of several waterlogging-prone locations across Kolkata and adjoining areas to assess the readiness of the civic infrastructure ahead of the rainy season.
Accompanied by officials from multiple ministries including public works departments (PWD), Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and other urban local bodies, Paul visited a number of identified “black spots” that routinely witness severe waterlogging during heavy rainfall in state capital Kolkata. The minister was also accompanied by the municipal commissioner of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Smita Pandey along with a few more officials of the civic body and the city police.
The minister during the day inspected drainage channels, canals and pumping infrastructure at Taratala, Pujali, Chorial Bridge, Doi Ghat, Mint Colony, Hrishikesh Park, Northern Park, the B.B.-I Canal and the Old Chowbhaga pumping station.
Officials briefed her on ongoing measures to improve drainage and ensure the smooth discharge of rainwater during intense downpours.
The inspection follows a high-level review meeting chaired by the minister to assess the state’s preparedness and formulate strategies to prevent flooding and waterlogging across urban areas.
“We visited rain and stormwater drainage systems in Chorial canal, Adi Ganga and Bagjola Canal. Most need to be upgraded massively. The erstwhile Trinamul Congress (TMC) government had neglected the canals and drainage systems massively for reasons best known to them,” Paul said.
Speaking about waterlogging in and around Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport following heavy rainfall, Paul said officials from various departments had visited the site to identify the cause of the problem.
“People from all departments went there to see exactly what the issue was. The previous government had blocked the manholes and constructed a road there. The previous government was very irresponsible. Water accumulates there whenever it rains. Our department has sought seven to ten days’ time to resolve the issue,” she said.
Paul alleged that years of neglect and poor planning under the previous government on areas along VIP Road and Rajarhat had worsened drainage-related problems in these locations.
“We held a high-level meeting to ensure no flood-like situation is repeated in Bengal. Several measures, including immediate dredging of drainage channels, will be undertaken on a war footing. We want to set right issues that were not addressed earlier and ensure that people do not suffer due to widespread waterlogging and the diseases that often accompany it,” the minister said.
Paul said the government would undertake preventive measures across both North and South Bengal, particularly in low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding during heavy rain. The urban development and municipal affairs department, she said, would work closely with the irrigation department to expedite dredging of canals and drainage channels before the monsoon gathers strength.
The minister said additional pumps would be deployed in areas that regularly report severe waterlogging, while instructions had been issued to civic bodies to accelerate the cleaning of drainage channels, gully pits and storm-water drainage systems.
She is expected to visit North Bengal and the hills in the next few months.
Notably, every year before the monsoons, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation holds a crucial meeting to decide upon the course of action before and during the rainy season. A comprehensive roadmap is also prepared in advance to handle the situation of heavy downpour. To prevent inundation in low lying pockets of the city, deployment of additional manpower at lock gates, pumping stations and other fields are also decided in this meeting.
Following the political turmoil that the KMC is faced with after 4 May, such meetings are yet to take place in the civic body headquarters. According to official sources, ongoing projects in certain areas of the municipal corporation are also faced with challenges. Some of the councillors have claimed workers on the ground unwilling to take orders from TMC corporators or even flow of funds also getting slower for the past three weeks posing hindrance.
On the other hand, poor turn out of councillors and members-mayor-in-council at the KMC headquarters is also said to have been a cause of concern of the authorities. In the situation of councillors not showing up and putting forth their work requirements, the civic body is said to have been unable to proceed with the various kinds of works.