Rain batters Kolkata, cripples normal life

Life was thrown out of gear in most parts of the metropolis on Saturday, following torrential rain that led to waterlogging in low-lying areas and snapped road links at several places.

The city received 186.1 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours till around noon on Saturday, the Regional Meteorological Centre here said.

The Met office has forecast heavy rain for the day.

Commuters were seen wading through knee-deep waters in key thoroughfares, including Central Avenue, College Street, Shakespeare Sarani and Behala.

Vehicular traffic was disrupted in several areas of central, south and north Kolkata, resulting in traffic snarls.

Flight operations were also affected, as take-off and landing was delayed, said a senior official of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.

Eastern Railway CPRO Nikhil K Chakraborty said circular railway services were cancelled from 10.40 am onwards, due to waterlogging.

Train movement in Sealdah and Howrah sections of the Eastern Railway was slow, but there has been no cancellation so far, Chakraborty said.