Suvendu Adhikari said the committee has also been assigned an additional responsibility to complete within 90 days — a comprehensive audit of fire safety systems and lightning arresters in high-rise residential and commercial buildings across the state.
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West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the state has constituted a multi-agency committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary Rajesh Pandey to carry out a special audit of under-construction high-rise and commercial buildings, while also announcing a separate 90-day review of fire safety measures and lightning arrestors in such structures.
Speaking at the Public Works Department (PWD) Tent in Kolkata’s Maidan, Adhikari said the audit team has already been notified and included senior officials from several state departments along with experts from Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES and IIT Kharagpur.
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“The committee has already been constituted. Rajesh Pandey, an officer of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary, is leading it. Officials from multiple departments are part of the exercise, while RITES and IIT Kharagpur have been brought in as expert organisations,” he said.
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The Chief Minister said the committee held its first meeting at 2.30 pm on Friday, with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation designated as the nodal agency for the exercise.
“KMC has deployed officers, engineers, surveyors, six state technical experts and police personnel. Kolkata Police will provide support wherever required, while the State Police will assist in other areas,” he said.
The special audit of under-construction buildings is scheduled to continue until July 31. Adhikari said the committee has also been assigned an additional responsibility to complete within 90 days — a comprehensive audit of fire safety systems and lightning arresters in high-rise residential and commercial buildings across the state.
Describing the exercise as “essential”, he said recent tragedies had exposed serious shortcomings in building safety.
“The Tiljala fire was linked to deficiencies in fire safety arrangements, equipment and fire licences, resulting in loss of life. Several such incidents have occurred. In Garden Reach there was no approved building plan, while in Taratala there were serious deficiencies,” he said.
An under-construction warehouse collapsed in Taratala on Wednesday leaving 15 dead till the time of reporting.
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