A businessman at the gutted Hatibagan Market looks at the wreck A businessman at the gutted Hatibagan Market looks at the wreck In the aftermath of the Bagree Market fire, the Hatibagan Market association in Kolkata has written to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, requesting it to provide a water connection to enable them to cope with emergencies. While around 140 fire extinguishers have been installed in the market in order to combat fire incidents, it lacks a water connection, which is essential in such circumstances, according to a member of the market association. “The recent fire in Bagree market has shaken us up. We have been asking the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to provide us with a proper water connection so that we will be able to cope up with a fire incident if it ever breaks out here. Having only fire extinguishers will not help us douse the flames if it is a major fire. So we have once again requested KMC authorities to look into our demand and prepare us for emergency situations,” said Ranjan Roy, general secretary of Hatibagan Market Merchants Welfare Association. Hatibagan Market is a private market and one of the oldest in the city. It is located in north Kolkata and houses more than 1,000 shops. A fire had gutted a large number of shops in the market in 2012, and in the next year, a minor fire had broken out. “We have taken fire safety measures since the 2012 fire incident. However, that is not enough if we do not get support from the KMC. We have also asked KMC to turn the outer area of the market into an advertisement zone. The ad zone will help us remove old and worn out plastics from roadside shops, which are in danger of catching fire easily. Such a measure is very important to prevent a major fire,” said Roy. The market association has also demanded that fire engines be deployed near it for emergency situations. Mayor Sovan Chatterjee was not available for comment. For all the latest Kolkata News, download Indian Express App

Stay updated with all the Kolkata Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.