Kolkata: The firefighting measures at Nandaram Market are not up to the mark, a fire audit conducted by the Fire and Emergency Services department mentioned on Monday.
A fire broke out in the market on July 13, following which the Fire and Emergency Services department conducted a fire audit and found that the firefighting mechanisms are not up to the mark. The electrical wiring has not been changed for decades and there is no reservoir to meet any emergency. Despite repeated requests, the traders put the wares on the corridor and not inside their shops. There are no firefighting gadgets as well.
There have been several incidents of fire since the market complex was inaugurated in the early 1980s. In 2008, a devastating fire broke out in which goods worth crores of rupees were destroyed. Again, in 2018, a fire broke out in the building.
Every time a fire breaks out, the Fire and Emergency Services department conducts a fire audit and detects that the firefighting gadgets are not in place. The recommendations of the Fire and Emergency department are flouted but the market is not closed down on humanitarian grounds, said a senior official.
A senior KMC official said the main reason for not having any proper firefighting arrangement is the unplanned construction of the building. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) had given clearance to set up a six storeyed market building in the late 1970s. Flouting the plan, the owners went ahead with the construction and erected 12 more floors. The KMC moved the High Court in the
mid-1980s and the court had ordered demolition of the illegally built floors. However, the order could not be carried out as the KMC did not have the specialized hammer needed to pull down the structure. Also, it was found that demolition of the illegal portions would affect the adjacent structures.
Taking advantage of the KMC's inability to pull down the illegally-built portions, the owner went ahead with the construction and sold out space.