Heavy rains on September 23 have inflicted significant damage on books worth lakhs of rupees in Kolkata's iconic College Street, the city's renowned book hub. Publishers and booksellers are grappling with the aftermath as the Publishers and Booksellers Guild continues to assess the total losses ahead of West Bengal's major festival, Durga Puja. The downpour, which exceeded forecasts, flooded shops and stalls, destroying unbound printed pages and stored inventory, marking a severe blow to the local literary economy.

Guild executive committee member Apu Dey, owner of Dey's Publishing, described the situation as more devastating than the 2020 Cyclone Amphan, with his firm alone suffering losses of Rs 5-6 lakh. "The entire boipara is in disarray," Dey said, noting that every publisher, regardless of size, has been affected. Guild President Sudhangshu Dey highlighted the vulnerability of roadside small shops, where books were directly exposed to the flooding. Secretary Tridib Chatterjee reported Rs 10-12 lakh in damages at his Patra Bharati publication, primarily impacting online-ordered festive season prints that became irreparably soggy due to the lack of prior warnings.

College Street, spanning 900 meters from Bidhan Sarani to Bowbazar, is named after the historic Hindu College (now Presidency University) established in 1817. It is recognized as the world's largest book market and Asia's biggest second-hand book locality, drawing bibliophiles and students year-round. The rainfall, measuring 251.4 mm in under 24 hours—the highest since 1986—claimed at least 10 lives, nine from electrocution, and paralyzed the city by disrupting air, rail, and road transport. Educational institutions closed, and Puja holidays were advanced as arterial roads turned into rivers, exacerbating the chaos in this densely populated urban area.

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Looking ahead, the guild plans to formulate a response post-Durga Puja, with hopes for aid from organizations similar to post-Amphan relief efforts. Apu Dey expressed optimism about recovering in time for next year's International Kolkata Book Fair, stating, "We will overcome the crisis." The incident underscores the need for better disaster preparedness in vulnerable commercial zones, as the community rallies to rebuild amid the festive season's approach.

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