La Martiniere repair: HC directs KMC to conduct fresh inspection on June 8

Kolkata: Relating to repair work to be executed in the heritage buildings of La Martiniere for Boys and Girls, the Calcutta High Court has directed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to carry out a fresh and comprehensive inspection of both school campuses on June 8 between 12 pm and 3 pm. The bench of Justices Ravi Krishan Kapur and Supratim Bhattacharyya’s directive comes after it found that an earlier inspection conducted by KMC was incomplete and did not comply with its prior order.

The incident occurred on May 21, 2025, when a portion of the school building collapsed during the summer vacation. Citing safety concerns and ongoing internal disputes related to the school’s management, the court had previously ordered a joint inspection on May 30. That inspection was to involve representatives from the schools, two KMC engineers, and the West Bengal Heritage Commission. However, during Thursday’s hearing, a vacation bench observed that the inspection carried out by KMC covered only select rooms and not the entire premises, as was required. The court called KMC’s approach “casual and cavalier”, stating that its report lacked essential particulars and failed to meet the requirements “in letter or spirit.”

The court has now mandated that all parties be present during the new inspection on June 8 and that KMC submit a detailed report identifying any necessary repair work. An advance copy of this report must be shared with the appellants’ Advocate-on-Record. The Bench also reiterated that if any urgent structural issues are discovered, KMC and the Heritage Commission are empowered to act immediately in accordance with law, without waiting for further court orders. The matter will be taken up next on June 10 before the Regular Bench.