Fire dept, KMC drive at restos, clubs before year-end festivities
Times of India | 9 December 2025
Kolkata: The blaze at the Goa nightclub has prompted the fire services department and the KMC to decide on a joint inspection of nightclubs, hotels, restaurants and social clubs here in the run-up to Christmas and year-end celebrations.
Mayor Firhad Hakim, also the chairman of the state fire safety committee, on Monday asked fire minister Sujit Bose to ensure all fire safety measures were being strictly followed at the nightclubs, hotels, restaurants and social clubs before the festive season kicked in. "We are concerned for revellers' safety, especially after what has happened in Goa. We can't take chances. We will conduct a drive to check the fire safety measures in place at commercial joints and social clubs. If we find any lapse in the measures, we may take action against errant owners," said Hakim.
During the day, he spoke to the director-general of the state fire services department, Ranvir Kumar, apprising him of the need to conduct the joint fire-safety drive. Hakim has also asked Kumar to ensure no firecracker is either stocked or allowed to be burst at nightclubs, rooftop restaurants or social clubs during the festivity. "Taking a lesson from the Goa nightclub blaze, we need to impose certain restrictions to prevent any accident or loss of lives," said Hakim.
According to a KMC official, the civic body's buildings wing will source the names of popular nightclubs and commercial joints from the trade licence department and team up with the state fire department for the drive. The official said the buildings department had been keeping a watch on a section of nightclubs that needed a fire-safety upgrade. "We have to track some restaurants and nightclubs that need constant fire-safety upgrades. The festive season is around the corner, and the tragedy in Goa has acted as an eye-opener. We will need to be extra cautious. We will ask the trade licence department to hand over the list this week," said the official.