1 Park Street resto shut, 4 struggle to serve patrons
Times of India | 3 May 2025
Kolkata: Several lounge bars and restaurants in Park Centre at the Park Street-Camac Street intersection operated with a limited menu on Friday while one remained shut as they were unable to use cooktops with flames due to the absence of LPG supply. Several LPG cylinders were seized from an LPG bank situated on the ground floor at the rear of the building. Another LPG bank in the same building was unaffected. A lounge-cum-bar on the terrace of an adjoining high-rise at the same address was completely shut after it was served a closure notice by civic authorities. On Thursday evening, KMC pulled down a portion of the structure. "Multiple anomalies were detected during an inspection at LMNOQ at Celica Houseand the facility will remain shut till it complies with all norms," a civic official said.
There are altogether 10 restaurants and lounge bars in three of the five buildings in the Celica Park complex at 24, Park Street. Of these, two that are located in Celica House — Papaya and Bombastic — and one in the adjoining Development House — M Bar — were open as the second LPG bank to the rear of Celica House was in operation. However, three of the six restaurants in Park Centre — Moti Mahal, Destination 16, and Black Cat — served a limited menu using induction cookers; Barbeque Nation was shut while the remaining two — AMPM and Boujee House — which have a separate LPG bank — operated as usual. The Barbeque Nation manager said induction cookers were being brought in and the restaurant would open on Saturday.
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"We are unaware why the LPG cylinders were seized. The LPG banks have been set up with the approval of the fire department and are equipped with safety measures, like gas leakage detection, suppression systems, and alarms. The restaurants in Park Centre had trade licences, fire licences, and excise licences," said Vineet Khemani, legal head of Celica Group, which is the landlord of most of the buildings in the complex.
Celica Group MD Sandeep Gupta acknowledged that LMNOQ had not yet regularised the changes made in the rooftop lounge bar. "We have written several letters to Navgrah Foods and Entertainment LLP, which has leased the place, to get the changes regularised from KMC, but it is yet to happen," he said. The lounge bar is spread over 7,000 sqft, with 5,550 sqft covered and the rest open.
He said the LPG banks were located at the rear of the building, facing the open area. In either Park Centre or Celica House, LPG cylinders are not allowed on any floors. The gas travels through pipes from the cylinders to the kitchens in the restaurants. "We have an independent control room that monitors all the systems in the complex 24×7," he said. While the fire safety certificate for the LPG bank at Park Centre was renewed a month ago, the renewal of Celica House is awaiting inspection.
He said all elevator shafts in the two buildings, and the internal fire escape staircase, were pressurised so that in the event of a fire, smoke did not enter them.
Gupta said Celica Group had been writing to the fire department for suggestions to improve fire safety compliance for three years — and had been incorporating suggestions and was willing to continue. "When there was a fire next door at 1/1, Camac Street, we were the first to respond, and fire tenders used water from our reservoir. As for now, Celica Park is fully compliant with fire norms," he added.