Acropolis Mall is set to reopen its gates to patrons on Saturday, August 3, a month and a half after the popular south Kolkata mall shut down because of a fire.
Almost 90 per cent of the mall, including Cinepolis and the food court will be operational from Day 1 of the reopening. The rest will reopen after a few days. “We are reopening the mall on August 3, having received permission from the fire services department on July 29. We have been working tirelessly to prepare for the reopening. Almost 90 per cent of the mall will be open on August 3. But some brands will take a few more days to reopen because of ongoing renovation. Restaurants like Hoppipola and Chili’s and gaming parlour, Time Zone, will reopen after a few days. All other brands, including Cinepolis and the food court, will be operational from August 3,” said Subhadip Basu, general manager of Acropolis Mall.
The food court will also be operational from August 3
Since its opening in 2015, Acropolis changed the very character of its neighbourhood. Acropolis Mall recorded an average daily footfall of 15,000 people, with over 4,500 individuals in the office block, till the shutdown. “Acropolis Mall provides direct and indirect employment to over 4,000 people and houses more than 110 outlets and shops,” Basu said.
A fire broke out in the Crossword store at Acropolis on the morning of June 14 . The mall authorities promptly evacuated everyone and alerted the fire brigade, who efficiently extinguished the fire and smoke.
The mall authorities received permission from the fire services department to restore power and reopen the office block from the 5th to the 20th floors on June 25. Since then, the mall management had been working on restoration, repair, and testing of fire and life safety provisions.
Restaurants like Hoppipola and Chili’s and gaming parlour, Time Zone, will reopen after a few days
Basu said all restoration and repair work of electrical systems, plumbing, lifts, escalators, and painting have been completed. “The fire safety work is also finished, and the painting is done. The fire inspection was conducted on July 5, and the authorities were satisfied with the results. We are now conducting deep cleaning, mock fire safety drills, and notifying retailers,” he said.
On the day of the fire — June 14
“We are confident that our patrons will return to Acropolis with the same enthusiasm. The mall has operated seamlessly for the last nine years and has entertained millions of visitors. The mall used to generate an annual business of Rs 700 crore, and a similar amount of business likely happens in the neighborhood outlets, contributing over ₹100 crore yearly in GST and other taxes,” Basu said.
