Fire breaks out at high-rise office building in Kolkata's Park Street
Kolkata, Nov 5 : A fire broke out in the fifth floor of a high-rise office building in the posh Park Street on Monday, a Fire Brigade official said.
No one was injured in the fire which broke out at about 11.10 am in the eight-storey building called Apeejay House, he said.
The building is located in the Park Street which is the city's foremost dining district, with many restaurants, pubs and offices located in the area.
At least 10 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames that started in an office in the fifth floor of the building. The fire was brought under control at about 1.00 pm, the official said.
The fire department brought in hydraulic ladder and other equipments to fight the blaze. Disaster management personnel and a large number of policemen were also deployed.
Police said that people were evacuated safely from the building, which houses offices of several companies and is also the headquarters of Apeejay Surrendra Group.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, they said.
Due to the fire, vehicular movement was regulated in and around the Park Street and traffic was affected in the southern areas of the metropolis.
In March, 2010, a devastating fire at Stephen Court', near Apeejay House, claimed 43 lives.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
