The fear of rain during Durga Puja has prompted the authorities as well as puja committees to keep pumps and teams of labourers ready in most parts of New Town, Dum Dum and Salt Lake.
Large parts of these areas remained under water for several days after spells of downpour last month.
An official of the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA), which provides civic services in New Town, said they had kept nearly 120 portable pumps in areas that were the worst affected.
An artisan at his workshop in Kumartuli on Sunday. Bishwarup Dutta
According to the official, pumps have been deployed in front of Balaka Abasan in Action Area I, near the blocks on the banks of the Bagjola canal, including BC and BF, and in several places in Action Area III, among others.
A resident of Balaka Abasan, where the pandal draws huge crowds, said they had asked the decorator to deploy some pumps and also arrange for some pipes to drain out water if it rains.
"We have asked our decorator to keep at least three pumps ready, anticipating that it will rain during Puja. Our complex was badly flooded last month and we have kept the pumps to ensure that at least some water can be drained out if the festive days see a downpour,” he said.
Pumps have also been installed in Dum Dum, near the Dum Dum Tarun Sangha Durga Puja pandal, Sreebhumi Sporting Club and Dum Dum Park Puja Pandal.
"We don't want to take risks and have installed pumps as well," said a member of Sreebhumi Sporting Club.
A barricade of sandbags has also been placed along the Bagjola canal near the puja pandals to prevent water from overflowing, an official of the state irrigation department said.
Large parts of Dum Dum and New Town, and stretches along VIP Road had got flooded when the Bagjola and Kestopur canals overflowed through breaches in the embankments last month.