Kolkata 

A five-month-old infant drowned after falling into the stagnant water inside her own home in Kolkata’s Dum Dum area on Saturday (August 2, 2025). This comes as residents across Kolkata and other districts continue to complain about bad road conditions and incessant waterlogging in pivotal areas across the State. 

Though rain has been light in the past 24 hours, most areas in the city and its adjacent areas remained under knee deep water.  

According to reports, the child died in the North Dum Dum municipality’s ward No. 13 area after she fell from the bed and drowned in the rainwater that had accumulated inside their house. The child’s mother was reportedly busy in household chores when the tragic incident occurred. 

Local police said that the incident might have been an accident and further investigation is underway. Ward 13 councillor Prasanta Das also visited the aggrieved family. The child was taken to a local hospital but was declared dead on arrival. 

“This severe waterlogging and flooding situation is not a regular issue. I have only been elected in the area in 2022, I have repaired more than 65% roads in the area already,” Mr. Das told media persons. However, locals alleged that severe waterlogging in the area is an annual issue.

The whole locality has been gripped with sadness as news of the infant’s death spread in the area. 

Waterlogging continues, bad road conditions create havoc 

Multiple roads in Kolkata and its surrounding areas are still in bad condition with potholes causing severe distress among daily commuters. Regular travellers complaint that driving on the cardinal city roads has become a “death-trap” and has slowed down traffic. 

“We need a 10-day dry spell to repair the roads. We are not being able to work now due to the heavy downpour over the past few days,” Firhad Hakim, Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor said on Friday while speaking about the bad road conditions. 

An age-old former two-storied palace collapsed in north Kolkata’s Manicktala area which injured two minors at around 6 a.m. on Saturday. Both were rescued and rushed to the local ESI hospital. During this year’s monsoon, at least five houses have collapsed in the northern parts of the city. Three other people were injured four days ago when another dilapidated house collapsed and they got caught under the debris. 

Firefighters and local police who conducted the rescue operations said this was due to the incessant rains. 

Multiple other areas in Hooghly, Howrah districts are battling severe waterlogging issues. 

68282.50 Cusecs water has been released from Durgapur Barrage according to last updated data on August 2 by the Irrigation and Waterways department which can lead to further flooding in the Hooghly district. Cracks were also reported from the Tilpara Barrage in the Birbhum district. According to videos sourced by The Hindu, large cracks were seen on the foundational structure of the barrage. Transportation on the road above the Tilpara Barrage has been limited to avoid any unforeseen accident. Locals remain apprehensive of the escalating situation as the road is one of the cardinal routes which connects the two banks of river Mayurakshi. 

“Stop the movement of heavy loaded vehicles and plying of other vehicles by one way movement over Tilpara Barrage Bridge (on Nil-14) due to some cracks & damages found at foundation level of the barrage…” a notification from the Birbhum District Magistrate stated on Friday.