The civic authorities in Kolkata and adjoining areas are bracing for another phase of waterlogging following the heavy rain alert for Monday and Tuesday.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is preparing to shift people from low-lying areas to safe shelters. There are over 100 community halls and 260 primary schools in the city that can act as safe shelters, officials said.
The pumping stations have been kept on high alert. “We are deploying a number of portable pumps in pockets prone to waterlogging such as Mukundapur and parts of Kidderpore and MG Road,” said an engineer in the KMC’s drainage department.
“All drainage pumping stations have been asked to ensure that all pumps are in working condition.”
The arrangements have been made for three days – Sunday to Tuesday. “Those will be extended if there is a forecast of more rain after Tuesday,” the engineer said.
At least eight persons were electrocuted in Kolkata and the northern fringes following the last spell of heavy rain that started on the night of September 19. Many low-lying areas remained inundated for days even after the rain stopped.
CESC will deploy mobile patrolling units for emergency response to any critical situation, a spokesperson for the utility said.
The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation has launched another drive to clean gully pits and drainage channels. An audit of lamp posts and street lights will be carried out to ensure there are no exposed wires sticking out.
In New Town, at least 120 portable pump sets have been kept on standby in the areas that were worst affected last month, said an official.
Officials of the South Dum Dum and Dum Dum municipalities said they had inspected street lights and lamp posts in their areas.
On September 25, two Class VI girls had been electrocuted after they touched a lamp post, which had live wires sticking out, on a waterlogged street in Dum Dum.
The Met office has issued an “enhanced rainfall alert” from October 17 to 20 for Bengal on Sunday.
“On Monday, heavy to very heavy rain is likely in Kolkata, North and South 24-Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah and East Midnapore. On Tuesday, heavy rain is likely in Kolkata, North and South 24-Parganas, Howrah and East Midnapore,” Sunday’s Met bulletin said.
In Met parlance, 60-120mm of rain in 24 hours means heavy and 120-200mm qualifies as very heavy.