Demolition work at LMNOQ Skybar, a popular rooftop establishment on Park Street, continued through Saturday following Thursday’s surprise inspection by the chief minister who voiced fire safety concerns.
The rooftop venue, located on the 12th floor of Celica House within the Celica Park complex, had already been served a demolition notice before civic body teams began dismantling portions of the structure on Friday evening. The work continued until approximately 4pm on Saturday, according to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials.
Officials from the KMC visited Shakespeare Sarani police station earlier in the afternoon. The team visited Celica Park later. The KMC has been spurred into action following Tuesday night’s devastating fire at Rituraj Hotel in central Calcutta that killed 14 people. The hotel had allegedly flouted several fire-safety norms.
While LMNOQ’s owner could not be reached for comment, other restaurants in the complex that were initially shut down have since reopened with significant restrictions.
“We are operating with a curtailed menu. We can only use induction cookers and we did not accept prior reservations for lunch,” said a staff member at Moti Mahal Delux on the sixth floor of Park Centre. Similarly, The Black Cat Lounge on the fourth floor of the same building was operating with limited offerings, with kebabs notably unavailable.
Both establishments were nearly empty by mid-afternoon on Saturday, reflecting a marked departure from the area’s typical weekend bustle. A restaurant manager in the complex noted, “With so much being shown on TV, the footfall has dipped.”
The crackdown began when chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s Thursday inspection uncovered rows of LPG cylinders stored on tiered racks behind iron shutters at the entrance of Park Centre — a 10-storey building housing offices, eateries, and retail stores. Police promptly removed the cylinders following her discovery.
Though the Celica Park management had claimed compliance with fire safety regulations, officials from the fire and emergency services department have instructed restaurant owners to relocate their gas storage to safer locations. As of Saturday, the cylinders had not been returned to the premises.
“We are in touch with different agencies. They should be back soon,” said a Celica Park official.
Some establishments, like Boujee House, are continuing operations. “We have not received any communication from the government. We have all the necessary permits from different government agencies,” stated Saloni Jhunjhunwala, owner of Boujee House, which was open on Friday as well.
Barbeque Nation, which was shut on Thursday and Friday, was also open on Saturday.
Despite these reopenings, Celica Park — typically one of Calcutta’s most vibrant party destinations with queues of cars arriving from evening onward — remained noticeably subdued on Saturday.