Fire Safety inspections are underway at 29 Kolkata shopping malls as police and fire officials check emergency exits, documents, evacuation routes, restaurants and food courts ahead of Durga Puja.
Police and fire officials inspect 29 major malls, checking emergency exits, safety compliance, documents and arrangements at restaurants and food courts
By Qalam Times News Network
September 9, 2026 | Kolkata
KOLKATA: Fire Safety arrangements at several major shopping malls across Kolkata came under scrutiny on Wednesday as teams from the Kolkata Police and Fire and Emergency Services carried out inspections ahead of the Durga Puja season.
The Fire Safety audit is being conducted at some of the city’s prominent shopping destinations, including South City Mall, Acropolis Mall and a major shopping complex in the Park Street area. Officials are examining whether the malls are complying with mandatory fire-prevention and emergency-response regulations and whether all required documents and certificates are in order.
The inspections come at a time when the administration has intensified scrutiny of establishments frequented by large numbers of people. The latest drive follows action against hotels, restaurants and guest houses in the city, where licences of 919 establishments were reportedly cancelled by the state administration over alleged irregularities.
According to officials familiar with the ongoing exercise, the inspection is not limited to paperwork. Teams are physically assessing the condition and accessibility of emergency staircases and evacuation routes to determine whether visitors would be able to leave the buildings safely in the event of a fire or other emergency.
Particular attention is also being given to restaurants, food courts and other high-footfall areas inside the malls. These locations can become especially crowded during festivals, making effective evacuation arrangements a critical part of the Fire Safety assessment.
Officials are checking whether emergency exits are clearly accessible, whether evacuation routes are usable and whether the required safety measures have been properly maintained. The condition of emergency stairways is also being examined to ensure that they can actually be used when required rather than merely existing as part of the building’s approved safety plan.
The timing of the inspections is significant. With Durga Puja approaching and only around 38 days remaining according to the assessment cited in the report, Kolkata’s shopping malls are expected to witness a substantial increase in footfall. Thousands of people are likely to visit malls for shopping, dining and entertainment during the festive period.
With large crowds expected, authorities are seeking to identify possible safety gaps before the festival rush begins. Any shortcomings found during the inspections could lead to further scrutiny or corrective measures by the concerned departments.
Sources indicate that joint teams of police and fire officials are carrying out inspections at around 29 shopping malls across Kolkata as part of the wider safety drive.
The exercise is aimed at ensuring that commercial establishments attracting large crowds have adequate emergency preparedness and that visitors are not exposed to avoidable risks. Apart from verifying statutory compliance, officials are assessing whether safety arrangements on the ground match the requirements recorded in official documents.
The inspections also underline the importance of maintaining functional evacuation systems in large public buildings. During an emergency, the availability of clear and accessible exits, properly maintained emergency staircases and adequate fire-response arrangements can play a decisive role in preventing panic and reducing casualties.
The administration’s intensified inspections ahead of Durga Puja are therefore being viewed as a preventive measure, with authorities seeking to address potential vulnerabilities before Kolkata enters one of its busiest festive periods.
