Kolkata Building Housing Abhishek Banerjee's Office To Be Partially Vacated

Kolkata authorities have ordered the evacuation of the basement and two floors at a building where Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s office is located, following a fire safety inspection that uncovered multiple violations. The fire department flagged issues such as an expired safety certificate, unauthorized structures blocking fire engine access, unauthorized LPG cylinder storage, and malfunctioning fire alarms and exits.

During the inspection, the department discovered no fire safety measures in the basement. A show-cause notice was issued to the building owner, granting them 48 hours to respond. When no response was received, the department proceeded to order the vacating of the affected floors. A fire safety official warned that inadequate safety measures could result in a major disaster in the event of a fire.

The inspection team, comprising police and fire department officials, found that the building’s fire safety certificate had expired on August 10 and had not been renewed. The notice issued by the fire department prohibits the use of the basement, sixth, and seventh floors until the identified issues are rectified and a valid safety certificate is obtained. The directive follows a recent clash over a TMC billboard at the premises, which prompted authorities to conduct the joint police and fire safety inspections.