Kolkata is raising its focus on fire and public safety ahead of Durga Puja 2026 celebrations and is putting more pressure on commercial establishments and other high-footfall properties to conduct inspections of shops, hotels and restaurants and entertainment venues where people are expected to be more likely to be out to attend.
Fire safety has become a big concern following a deadly fire on Free School Street in Kolkata that killed nine people. Following that, city officials began to inspect hotels and guest houses and issued closure notices to more than 500 establishments over the fire safety and building regulations.
Why the fire safety drive matters
Durga Puja is one of Kolkata’s busiest periods of the year. Retail shops, markets, restaurants and commercial complexes typically see an increase in footfall as residents and visitors shop, dine and attend the festivities.
If the crowds are so large, emergency exits, electrical systems, fire extinguishers and evacuation procedures have to be more robust, more complicated and more urgent. So authorities are trying to check for safety problems before the holiday rush gets so heavy.
A lot of commercial establishments need to meet such safety requirements and inspections are part of that, officials say.
Hotels and commercial properties under scrutiny
Kolkata Municipal Corporation has been doing inspections across the city. Local officials have estimated that around 4,000 hotels and guest houses need to be inspected after the Free School Street fire. At the time of publication on 6 September, fewer than 20% of the properties were expected to be surveyed and authorities had set a deadline of 20 September for the safety audits.
The scale of the exercise is a reminder of the challenge faced by civic officials before Durga Puja. Enforcement must be balanced with businesses being able to run safely during one of Kolkata's most commercially active periods.
Fire licences and compliance
West Bengal Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul also announced that hotels and restaurants that are operating without fire licences would be given a 30-day period to apply for the required licence. The move is intended to bring establishments into compliance with fire safety regulations.
But the administration’s focus is not limited to hotels. Commercial buildings, restaurants and other venues where large crowds gather are being looked at as well for compliance with safety standards.
The state government has also highlighted fire-safety permissions as part of its broader preparations for Durga Puja. Festival-related announcements have also been made recently which include a waiver of the fees for Puja committees to clear fire-clearance and other measures to facilitate preparation.
Crowd safety becomes another priority
Fire prevention is just one part of Kolkata's preparations. Police have also started planning crowd-management arrangements at major Puja venues, such as assessing expected footfall and ensuring separate entry and exit routes at pandals.
Fire inspections, building audits and crowd-management planning represent the authorities’ effort to minimize the risk of accidents at the festival.
What lies ahead
With Durga Puja about to take place, inspections will be a priority for Kolkata’s civic and emergency authorities. Businesses and commercial establishments are under pressure to address deficiencies, to maintain emergency exits and to ensure safety approval is in place.
If that enforcement works well, for millions of people who will visit Kolkata in the festive season, it would be an added layer of protection. This latest drive also shows that you can’t respond only after an accident occurs and fire is there.
