Kolkata building housing Abhishek Banerjee's office ordered to vacate over fire safety

The West Bengal Fire Services Department has ordered the immediate evacuation of several floors in a high-rise building in central Kolkata that houses the office of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee.

Following an inspection, officials identified significant fire safety violations, including the lack of adequate firefighting measures in the basement, the absence of a designated fire exit, and issues with the fire alarm system. The department noted that the building's fire safety certificate expired on August 10 and had not been renewed.

Authorities issued a show-cause notice to the building owner with a 48-hour deadline for a response. After the deadline passed without a reply, the department directed that the basement, as well as the sixth and seventh floors, must be vacated until deficiencies are rectified and a valid certificate is obtained. The building has recently been the site of other controversies, including a clash during the removal of a billboard and allegations of an attack on the office.