At a time when several pujas are yet to go for immersion- a process that continues for atleast two days after Dashami- the Alipore meteorological department has sounded a warning for heaving rainfall from tomorrow in South Bengal districts.

The city received thundershowers in the afternoon which has paved the way for further worries for both the traffic police and the government agencies as puja committees flock to ghats of the city for immersion. The traffic though has not seen any severe congestion till 5 pm, it may take a turn for the worse in case of further and heavy rainfall.

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The met department has warned that the rainfall will increase from 17 October and is likely to affect Kolkata, Hooghly, Howrah, South 24 Parganas and other districts in the coastal South Bengal.

The met department has forecast thunderstorms with lightning and light to moderate rainfall over parts of Kolkata, South 24 Paraganas and Nadia. Due to the squally weather and wind speed that is likely to exceed 45kmph over North Bay of Bengal along and off West Bengal and Bangladesh coast during 17-19 October, fishermen are being advised to stay on the shore while the ones already in mid-seas are being advised to return to shore by 16 October night.

A KMC official said that the civic body is monitoring the weather updates and will take measures accordingly. In case of heavy showers, the drainage pumping stations would be made functional. The police are also discussing measures to handle the immersion process in case there is further and heavy rainfall which makes the river banks extremely slippery. KMC workers are aiding in the immersion process so people don’t have to get into the river.

The KMC, however, on an experimental basis has made artificial water bodies for some pujas such as Tridhara where the idols are being immersed. One such facility has been set up at Doi Ghat too. The civic body chairman Firhad Hakim said if people welcome this move then we will make such artificial water bodies at the ghats from next year to save the river from pollution and reduce risks of accidents.