Bazi Bazar rolls out red carpet for buyers after police inspection on safety measures

Kolkata: The Bazi Bazar at Shahid Minar Maidan will be thrown open to the public on Wednesday. Kolkata Police inspected the security arrangements at the firecracker market on Tuesday.

"Adequate security arrangements have been made at the Bazi Bazar at Shahid Minar Maidan Tuesday," said IPS Meeraj Khalid after conducting an inspection of the market five days ahead of Diwali.

Altogether 39 stalls have been set up at Shahid Minar Maidan this year.

"There will be fire extinguishers at each stall at the firecracker market. Last year, crackers were kept on wooden racks at the stalls. This year, we are installing iron racks to prevent fire accidents," said Tarun Sinha, deputy director of Fire Services Department.

The crackers will be brought to the market on Tuesday night. People would be allowed to buy crackers from Wednesday.

The stalls will remain at the Maidan till October 27.

While the Supreme Court had outlined specific norms and ordered the ban with restricted use to green crackers in a two-hour window between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali, the annual firecrackers fair is usually held prior to Kali Puja in the heart of the city.

"Chinese crackers will not be allowed for sale. Charka, tubris and crackers that emit light with no sound will be allowed for sale in the market. The price of crackers will range between Rs 20 and Rs 200," said Babla Ray, chairman of Sara Bangla Atasbazi Unnayan Samity.

The Bazi Bazaar, which started in 1995, has shrunk in size this year.

There were 49 stalls last year however, this year 39 stalls have been set up.

"The wholesale and retail market in all states , including Bengal, has been hit by Good and Services Tax.

Most of the traders are reluctant to set up stalls because they suffered losses last year.

In 2018, a firecracker fair was held at Vivekananda Park in Southern Avenue.

That is why, the overall market was down by 40 percent last year," Ray said.