South City limps back to business

KOLKATA: A day after a fire broke out on Sunday, South City Mall opened its gates on Monday, but kept a major portion of the food court, which records the most footfall, shut.
The authorities were forced to down the shutters on Sunday after flames and consequent billowing smoke were spotted around the false ceiling of the mall's third-floor food court.A day later, around 11am, the establishment reopened, but the escalator leading to the third floor and the food court there were kept out of bounds to visitors. Guards were posted at the staircases and escalators of the second floor, while view-cutters were installed to keep curious onlookers at bay. In the evening, the authorities opened the western side of the third floor, which houses Subway, Cafe Coffee Day and Barista. The other section of the floor, including restaurants Benjarong, Flame and Grill, Zara and Mainland China and takeaway outlets, such as KFC and Pizza Hut, remained shut. Timezone, the mall's play area for kids, was also closed.
“We have to repair the false ceiling near the restaurants. Pizza Hut and KFC have suffered the most because of the falling ceiling and water sprayed by the fire department. It will take a few days before we can reopen the section. We are trying our best to reopen the entire third floor by weekend,“ said Deep Biswas, deputy general manager of the mall.
Several escalators did not work for most part of the day owing to water seepage, though Inox, which had to suspend the screening of the 9am show of `Kahaani 2' on Sunday, began its shows from 11.45am on Monday. Mall officials said they would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the next course of action over tightening fire-safety measures. “So far, it looks like the fire started from a short-circuit in the electrical wiring. We will hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss whether we will have to replace the entire wiring or take any other route to minimize such accidents in future,“ said Biswas.