Today Kolkata started the day with roads knee-deep in water after heavy overnight rain flooded with motorists stranded and commuters in waist- deep water. The city's drainage system was overwhelmed, causing misery and chaos to daily life and frustrating many residents.
Social media quickly became the platform for expressing both despair and humor, with citizens offering innovative but at the same time humorous solutions to ride over the flooded streets.
Netizens advise Uber, Ola to introduce boat services
Netizens resorted to social media platforms such as X (previously Twitter) and Facebook to express their annoyance with a comical touch. Arnab Kanti Das posted, ""@Uber_India are you offering city boat service in Calcutta today?" reflecting on how public transport and private taxis were struggling amidst the flood. Pranay Das on a local Facebook group posted a video of a flooded street and captioned it, "Uber should start their boat service soon." Another X user mentioned Uber_India and OlaCabs requesting them to start boat service in Kolkata.
Other users joined, tagging these services with sarcastic posts and photos of waterlogged streets at the same time comparing Kolkata to Venice. Several locals expressed that cabs could not make it to them on time, resulting in missed flights, rescheduled appointments and general issues. The posts soon went viral, gaining the attention of urban netizens and causing spirited online debates.
Uber's water transport precedent
Uber tried water transport previous year in December 2024, the company introduced a boat-hailing service on Srinagar's Dal Lake, enabling tourists to directly book traditional Shikara rides from the app. This move showed how these services could adapt to water-based urban challenges and help many. Several netizens also pointed to this example, joking that a similar solution in Kolkata could be a lifesaver during extreme waterlogging.
Although the prospect of boat services in Kolkata remains largely humorous, it highlights a real issue which is the city's vulnerability to heavy rains and poor drainage facilities. Netizens continue to raise these matters in innovative ways, using a mix of humor and seriousness as Kolkata struggles with urban flooding.