Following rain alerts from the Alipore weather office, Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials are spending sleepless nights.
On Tuesday, KMC officials held several parleys to ensure that the rain does not dampen the puja spirit and that pandal-hoppers’ mobility is not affected in case of showers.
Tarak Singh, member of mayor-in-council who also oversees the KMC's sewerage and drainage system, held a meeting with the chief executive engineers of the civil and drainage departments of 16 boroughs.
The officials said in case of a heavy rainfall, it’s a dual problem as the lock gates have to be shut and in case the rainfall is around 50mm, most city roads get waterlogged creating a messy condition, especially in the festive season.
To deal with the situation, additional submersible pumps have been ordered which will be installed in each borough in advance so that in case of heavy rains, the accumulated water can be discharged into the canals.
Meanwhile, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has directed mayor Firhad Hakim to keep a hawk-eye vigil on certain areas like Behala, Tollygunge, Jadavpur, both sides of the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, Thanthania in north Kolkata, Amherst Street, several areas on both sides of Chittaranjan Avenue, Sinthee, Cossipore, Bowbazar, Tiljala and Kasba.
The KMC authorities have also prepared a chart mentioning the timings of high and low tides to facilitate civic operations in case of a downpour.
