Acropolis Mall in Kasba, Kolkata, is set to reopen on Saturday, August 3, following a 49-day closure caused by a fire at a bookshop on the mezzanine level. The fire, which occurred between the food court on the third floor and the restaurants on the fourth floor, led to the temporary shutdown of the popular shopping destination.
Acropolis Mall General Manager, Subhadip Basu, confirmed the reopening, stating, "Acropolis has received permission from the fire department to reopen and we will do so on Saturday." This announcement comes as a welcome relief for both shoppers and store operators, as well as neighboring businesses that have experienced a drop in foot traffic due to the mall’s extended closure.
On June 25, the mall's office wing, which consists of 16 stories, was allowed to reopen. However, the mall itself faced delays in resuming operations. Despite the fire inspection being completed on July 5, approval for the mall's reopening was only granted on July 29. This delay was due to the time taken by the fire department to process the necessary permissions.
Reports indicate that about 90% of the mall, including all retail stores, the cineplex, and the food court, will be operational this weekend. However, some brands located on the third and fourth floors, such as Time Zone and Hoppipola, will open a few days later due to ongoing renovations.
The closure has had a significant economic impact, with business losses estimated at Rs 1.5 crore per day, totaling approximately Rs 67.5 crore by Monday when the reopening approval was given. Additionally, the GST revenue loss is estimated to be around Rs 9 crore.
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