Book Havoc: Inundated College Street Faces Unprecedented Losses

In September 2023, heavy rains caused extensive damage to books worth lakhs of rupees on Kolkata's College Street. The Publishers and Booksellers Guild is evaluating the loss, which exceeds previous damages from Cyclone Amphan. The disaster hit just before the Durga Puja festival, leaving booksellers and publishers in distress.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Kolkata | Updated: 24-09-2025 17:23 IST | Created: 24-09-2025 17:23 IST

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Torrential rains on September 23 wreaked havoc across Kolkata's College Street, a renowned book hub. The Publishers and Booksellers Guild is currently assessing the damage to books worth lakhs of rupees just before Bengal's major festival, Durga Puja.

Guild executive Apu Dey, who is also associated with Dey's Publishing, stated that the damage surpassed that of Cyclone Amphan in 2020. The lack of warning about the intense downpour led to significant losses for both large and small publishers.

The calamity, which marked one of the heaviest rainfalls since 1986, severely disrupted life in Kolkata. The city's infrastructure was overwhelmed, impacting air, rail, and road transport as educational institutions closed, and Durga Puja holidays were brought forward.

(With inputs from agencies.)