Shut Down Notice Served To Simpark Mall Authorities

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) sent a notice to Simpark Mall authorities to shut down the shopping and parking facility following an inspection from the fire brigade that had revealed insufficient fire safety facilities. The mall was further examined by the KMC mayor Sovan Chatterjee, corporation commissioner Khali Ahmed and the senior officials on Wednesday, reports EXIN Times.

Simpark Mall is an underground shopping and parking hub established almost a decade ago. The mall was under a public-private venture with the KMC that allows a shopping complex and its underground parking facility for 200 cars together. “We have inspected the market three to four times and found that it is being poorly managed. Smoke detectors are not functioning, there are no automatic sprinklers and there isn't enough water in the reservoir to douse a major fire. With cars being parked in the second basement, a fire can cause a catastrophe. The lives of shopkeepers and shoppers will be at stake,” said Gour Prasad Ghosh, the fire service director.

The West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services said they had posted a letter to the municipal corporation about a fortnight ago. However, the higher authorities also mentioned that they did not remember of closing the parking facility but admitted that if a fire starts in one section, it will soon spread to others.

Later, the mayor held an urgent meeting with the Simpark Mall Shopowners’ Association asking them to imply fire fighting facilities and upgrade the same. According to reports, the association disagreed with the proposal and the mayor asked the municipal commissioner to lodge an FIR and take necessary actions. Later, KMC handed over the fire department’s letter to Simpark Infrastructure Private Limited.