It is still a towering issue

BANGALORE: Carlton Towers fire tragedy is etched in the mind of every Bangalorean. The incidents that unfolded on the day the fire broke out in the building on Airport Road on February 2010, is unforgettable. Even to this day the tragedy gives one a shudder. But now the billion dollar question is — will Carlton Tower ever see business again? The owners of Carlton Towers claim that the building is ready to function. The management of Carlton Towers has approached the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) with a request to reopen the building. They claim to have renovated the building in accordance with the safety norms prescribed by the state government. But the BBMP doesn’t seem to be convinced yet.The copy of the letter given to the BBMP clearly states that modifications have been made with fire safety systems.It also states that new electrical connections have been installed. Five new elevators have also been introduced.A permanent power connection is yet to installed.The illegal generator that was set on the terrace of the building which was a threat, has been removed. The scattered generators have been relocated.The owners say that they will renovate the basement according to the original sanction plan. Abiding by the fire department’s instructions, a six metre clearance has been provided and obstacles have been removed.The association has requested the BBMP to regularise the three restaurants on the ground floor — TGIF, Bombay Post and Indijoe, as they do not cause any security problems.But the BBMP thinks otherwise.They say that the letter given by the management of Carlton Towers is completely unconvincing as it has contradictions. “They want us to overlook the very issues to which we had objections earlier,” says a BBMP official on condition of anonymity.The question that remains now is — will people be able to resume work at a place that has witnessed such a gruesome tragedy?