Kolkata: Car Sales Zoom and Winter's Coming

Okay, Kolkata's trying to fix its flooding problem. Again. They're gonna build 21 "lifting stations" along the rivers. Right. Because that's going to solve everything.

The Same Old Song and Dance

Tarak Singh, some mayor-in-council dude, says these stations will "ensure less waterlogging." Less? What about no waterlogging? Is that too much to ask? This isn't some Podunk town; this is a major city. You'd think they'd aim higher than "less." According to KMC to set up 21 lifting stations for tide relief, the stations are intended to alleviate the issue.

And get this, the areas supposedly benefiting? Sovabazar, Bagbazar, Chitpur, and… you get the picture. Basically, the whole damn city. It's like saying a hospital will "benefit" the sick. No freakin' duh.

They're also planning to fix up the 148-year-old sewer line. 148 years old! Seriously? I bet my grandpappy's plumbing is more modern. They're throwing ₹207 crore (that's Rupees, for you non-Indians) at this mess. ₹175 crore just to fix the old sewer. You know what else you could do with that kind of cash? Probably build a freakin' ark.

Car Sales: Distraction or Real Progress?

Speaking of money, apparently car sales in Kolkata went through the roof after some GST cut. Up almost 38%? Okay, good for the car dealers, but how does that fix the fact that half the city is underwater every monsoon season?

Oh, right, I almost forgot about the September floods! That's what really boosted car sales. People had to replace their submerged vehicles. So, congratulations Kolkata, you turned a disaster into an economic opportunity? Real classy. Car sales zoom in Kolkata as GST rate cut drives down prices, with a significant increase attributed to the GST rate cut.

Subhendu Mondal from the Automobile Welfare Association—give me a break, that's a real thing?—said the price cuts "lured even those who did not have any immediate requirement of a car." So, people are buying cars they don't need while their basements are full of rainwater. Makes perfect sense.

But wait, are we really supposed to believe that a tax cut is a better solution than, like, actual infrastructure improvements?

Winter is Coming (Eventually)

And then there's the "Winter is Coming" article. Cardigans, blankets, and open-air cafes. Yeah, yeah, real cute. But what happens when the next monsoon hits? Are those cardigans gonna soak up the floodwater? Is your skin gonna be less frizzy in a monsoon? I think not.

All this talk about winter veggies and book fairs... it's like they're trying to distract us from the fact that the city's drainage system is older than sliced bread.

Honestly, it's like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

So, What's the Real Story?

This is a band-aid on a gaping wound, plain and simple. They're throwing money at problems without addressing the root cause. The next time it rains hard, Kolkata will be underwater again, and we'll be right back here, reading about the next "solution" that doesn't solve anything. Ain't that the truth.