16 years on, many establishments at Stephen Court still without fire licence
Times of India | 24 August 2026
Kolkata: Several establishments in Stephen Court on Park Street, where 43 people had died in a fire 16 years ago, are yet to receive clearance from the fire department. The building houses several offices, shops and restaurants on the ground and first floors, apart from residential flats, and has undergone a massive refurbishment over the years. But it remains exposed to serious fire hazards since the building itself has not been given a clearance from the fire department, said the residents’ association.
A fire inspection was due at the building on Thursday, which was deferred. “Stephen Court won’t qualify for a no-objection certificate since serious safety violations have occurred in the last five-six years,” said a section of residents.
“A huge volume of LPG cylinders has been illegally stored inside the building by multiple restaurants. They should have been stored in a separate LPG bank, in open air or in a separate enclosure outside the building. There are several illegal mezzanine floors inside offices, which have been rebuilt after the fire despite our requests and warnings. Car parking spaces on the ground floor are being used as kitchens and for storage, which are major fire hazards,” said Sanjay Chaudhury, a resident.
He added that while the building as a whole is yet to receive a fire clearance, some establishments operating on the premises have secured NOCs.
Some of the fire hazards are being removed, the Stephen Court Welfare Association said.
The building — a Park Street landmark — had taken multiple measures to prevent fires. The building association has created a fire refuge that runs around the fourth, fifth and sixth floors, which had been the most affected portions in the fire. The association has also built an open staircase from the roof that acts as a parallel escape route. Each of the four blocks is now interconnected, allowing people to move from one part to another without using the lift or stairs. The building has also added a huge water reservoir and has refurbished the electric system.
Debashish Guha Niyogi, secretary of Stephen Court Welfare Association, said, “After an assessment, we realised a few simple steps could help save lives. We implemented them over eight years, and now, Stephen Court is safer. If the LPG cylinders are removed, we should get a fire clearance.”
Stephen Court has 15 residential flats, 40 offices, and a dozen restaurants, including Flurys, Peter Cat and One Step Up. It also houses a few guest houses. The fifth and sixth floors were rebuilt, conforming to fire department and KMC safety norms. “While most residents left after the fire, they have now returned,” said Guha Niyogi.
But these measures could be negated by the violations made by new restaurants that have sprung up in the last five-six years, feared residents. “One has come up on the first floor and has created a staircase which seriously threatens safety,” said a resident.
A flat-owner has recently written to urban development minister Agnimitra Paul, drawing her attention to the “severe fire safety non-compliances, commercial conversions, unauthorised structural alterations, and statutory violations” at the building.