Kolkata floods: High-rise dreams drenched as residents struggle with aftermath of record downpour

Days after torrential rains turned Kolkata into a sprawling waterworld, the city still gasps under the weight of its flood-soaked wounds.

While low-lying neighbourhoods bore the initial brunt, the deluge also exposed the vulnerabilities of high-rise living, with thousands of residents in towering apartments facing unprecedented challenges.

In upscale residential complexes across EM Bypass, New Town, and parts of South Kolkata, basements and parking lots turned into virtual lakes. Expensive cars remain half-submerged, with residents unable to retrieve or repair them. Generators installed in basements failed as floodwaters rushed in, plunging entire towers into darkness during extended power cuts.

Waterlogging in lift shafts rendered elevators unusable, forcing elderly residents and children to climb dozens of flights of stairs. “Our 15th-floor apartment felt like a trap. Without power or lifts, even buying daily essentials became a nightmare,” said a resident of a high-rise in New Town.

In Salt Lake’s residential blocks, some housing societies struggled with contaminated drinking water as overhead tanks could not be refilled. Many households were dependent on tankers and bottled water. Stagnant water around complexes also raised fears of a mosquito-borne disease outbreak.

Essential services, including grocery deliveries and medical supplies, were disrupted as access roads remained under waist-deep water. Patients in need of regular dialysis and emergency care were among the worst affected, with ambulances unable to navigate flooded streets.

Real estate experts said the situation highlighted poor drainage planning around high-rises, despite their promises of “flood-proof” living. “The floods have shown that even gated complexes are not immune. Basements and common facilities are the weakest links,” an urban planner noted.

As the city struggles with post-flood relief, residents are demanding stricter building codes, better drainage infrastructure, and accountability from developers who failed to provide safeguards.

For many, the flood has left behind more than damaged cars and power outages — it has shaken the very promise of secure, comfortable urban living in Kolkata’s skyscrapers.