All posts tagged: Kolkata

Kolkata trams may return under BJP; survey ordered, says transport minister

Kolkata trams may return under BJP; survey ordered, says transport minister

Published by Parlour News

Kolkata’s electricity-driven trams, started by the British in 1873 and shut down in 2024 under the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, except on two routes, may make a comeback under the Bharatiya Janata Party, transport minister Arjun Singh said on Sunday. In February 1943, the tram services were linked to Howrah. (PTI) “We want to revive the environment-friendly public transport system. RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service) has been asked to conduct a survey,” Singh said. Transport department officials said the state plans to renovate the old tracks first and then develop a model to operate modern carriages, similar to those seen in Australia and some European cities, to promote tourism in addition to serving as a daily mode of transport. A public sector undertaking (PSU) under the ministry of railways, RITES offers engineering and consultancy services in transport infrastructure, including roads, airports and railways. “There used to be 40 routes during the Left Front government but only a limited number of trams currently operate on two routes: one from Gariahat to Esplanade via Park …

Lionel Messi’s largest statue unvieled in a tiny town in Argentina

Lionel Messi’s largest statue unvieled in a tiny town in Argentina

Published by Webster

2 min readUpdated: Jun 27, 2026 08:13 PM IST A statue of Lionel Messi, 85 feet tall, has been unveiled with the World Cup in front of him as he kneels and raises a finger toward the sky. It is the tallest statue built for Messi, surpassing the one in Kolkata, which was 70 feet. Aldo Beroisa, the statue’s 61-year-old local sculptor, told the Associated Press: “He is Argentina’s natural ambassador. For me, it was very important, not only as an artist but as an Argentine.” The sculptors made use of 70 tons of steel to make the statue of the iconic player. “That is not the first time a Messi statue has failed to stand the test of time. A bronze figure unveiled in Buenos Aires in 2016 was damaged by vandals a year later, with its head, arms and body stolen,” quoted the Telegraph. And the one in Kolkata was also taken down in May due to safety concerns. This move comes after residents complained that the massive structure appeared to sway during …

Kolkata warehouse collapse: Complaint lodged against ex-mayor Firhad Hakim

Kolkata warehouse collapse: Complaint lodged against ex-mayor Firhad Hakim

Published by Parlour News

A complaint was lodged against Firhad Hakim, former mayor of Kolkata and two other ex-councillors of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Anwar Khan and Shams Iqbal on Friday in connection with the collapse of an under-construction warehouse in Taratala that killed 16 persons and left 17 others injured. Police have already arrested Hakim’s former officer on special duty (OSD) Kalicharan Banerjee. (ANI) “We have received a complaint against Hakim and two former councillors Anwar Khan and Shams Iqbal. The complaint alleged that several illegal buildings have been constructed in the area and the role of the three needs to be probed. Investigation is going on,” said police. This comes two days after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said in the legislative assembly that the previous Trinamool Congress-led board of the KMC sanctioned the warehouse project despite having a faulty design. He slammed the ex-mayor without naming Hakim. Police have already arrested Hakim’s former officer on special duty (OSD) Kalicharan Banerjee. A city court on Friday sent him to police custody till July 4. Also Read:Will bring …

Death toll climbs to 11 as rescue efforts continue

Death toll climbs to 11 as rescue efforts continue

Published by Webster

JUNE 24 Day the incident occurred in south Kolkata’s Tarantala area The toll in the Taratala warehouse collapse in south Kolkata rose to 11 on Thursday as rescue teams, aided by the Army’s advanced ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system, continued intensive search operations through the rubble for over 24 hours after the incident, officials said. Five more people were rescued from the debris in the morning, taking the total number of victims pulled out from under the rubble to 30, according to sources involved in the operation. Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

Death toll climbs to 15 as 19-year-old succumbs

Death toll climbs to 15 as 19-year-old succumbs

Published by Webster

The death toll in the under-construction warehouse roof collapse at Taratala in the southern outskirts of Kolkata has risen to 15, said police on Friday, who released the information on the deaths and the injured in the mishap. In the list of 15 deceased persons as provided by the city police, 13 persons have been identified; the bodies of two other males have been declared as unknown. The last person to have died was Mannu Kumar, a 19-year-old youth hailing from Munger in Bihar. He was under treatment at the state-run S.S.K.M Medical College & Hospital in South Kolkata after being rescued from under the debris. However, he died this morning, confirmed an official of the city police. Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

In Bengal, BJP government to bring UCC Bill this Assembly session | Kolkata News

In Bengal, BJP government to bring UCC Bill this Assembly session | Kolkata News

Published by Parlour News

3 min readKolkataJun 26, 2026 12:45 AM IST The new BJP government in West Bengal is planning to bring in a Bill on implementing the Uniform Civil Code in the state during the ongoing Assembly session. During the Assembly elections in the state, the BJP had promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) within six months of being voted to power as part of its manifesto. “It is likely that the UCC Bill will be introduced in the Assembly and it will be a law in this Assembly session itself. It will be a milestone. It is in tune with our party’s policy of one nation, one law,” said a senior BJP MLA. According to sources, a business advisory (BA) meeting was held late Thursday evening at the state Assembly, where tabling of the Bills, including UCC, was discussed. “The Bill may be placed on Monday,” said a source. The Uniform Civil Code is a proposed framework to replace religion-based personal laws with one common set of secular laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, and …

PM announces compensation as Kolkata warehouse collapse death toll reaches 9

PM announces compensation as Kolkata warehouse collapse death toll reaches 9

Published by Webster

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the nine persons who died in the collapse of the roof of an under-construction warehouse in Kolkata’s Taratala area.  The Prime Minister also announced assistance of Rs 50,000 each for the 20 people injured in the incident. In a statement on X, the PMO said that the state government is working to provide all possible assistance to the people affected by the shed collapse. “The mishap in Kolkata yesterday is saddening. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each will be given from PMNRF to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the mishap. The injured would be given Rs 50,000. The state government is working around the clock to ensure that those affected receive all possible assistance: PM Narendra Modi,” read the post. According to Kolkata Police, the death toll in the incident has gone up to nine. A total of 20 workers were injured in the incident. They have been …

Suvendu Adhikari flags TMC-era ‘sins’ as Kolkata warehouse collapse kills 9 | Kolkata News

Suvendu Adhikari flags TMC-era ‘sins’ as Kolkata warehouse collapse kills 9 | Kolkata News

Published by Parlour News

3 min readKolkataJun 25, 2026 12:31 PM IST With the death count in the Kolkata warehouse collapse climbing to nine, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday targeted the previous Trinamool Congress government over approving faulty and unsafe construction plans and assured that “nobody will be spared”.Addressing the Assembly, the Chief Minister waved a piece of paper signed by former Bengal minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim, approving the plan for the under-construction warehouse in Kolkata’s Taratala that collapsed on Wednesday. “A faulty building plan was approved by KMC (Kolkata Municipal Corporation). Nobody will be spared. These are all sins during your regime,” Adhikari told the House, adding, “Trinamool made Kolkata a City of Death”. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said rescue ops at Taratala are still on Chief Minister targets Firhad Hakim The remarks are significant against the backdrop of the rebellion within the Trinamool Congress in the aftermath of its crushing defeat in the Assembly polls last month. Interestingly, Hakim is in the rebel faction of MLAs that has challenged Mamata Banerjee’s leadership. …

Kolkata warehouse collapse kills 4, injures 17; several feared trapped under debris

Kolkata warehouse collapse kills 4, injures 17; several feared trapped under debris

Published by Webster

A three-storey under-construction warehouse collapsed in Kolkata’s Taratala area on Wednesday, killing at least four people and injuring 17 others. Rescue teams, including the Army, are searching for several workers believed to be trapped beneath the rubble Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari suspends construction work till July 31, orders audit of all ongoing projects | Kolkata News

Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari suspends construction work till July 31, orders audit of all ongoing projects | Kolkata News

Published by Parlour News

4 min readKolkataJun 25, 2026 04:24 AM IST In the wake of the collapse of a warehouse in Kolkata’s Taratala area, killing at least five labourers, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday ordered the suspension of all under-construction commercial projects in Kolkata till July 31. Soon after visiting the site of the under-construction warehouse collapse, the chief minister said that the building plan sanctioned by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) was faulty and announced a citywide audit and on-site inspections of all under-construction projects. Addressing a press conference at Nabanna, the state secretariat, Adhikari said the building plan was sanctioned by the KMC on January 17, 2026, in the name of Shambhunath Behera, a partner of Behera Brothers. In a statement, the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority said it had granted a 30-year lease to M/s Behera Brothers with effect from August 1, 2024, for approximately 6,689 square metres of land to set up a multi-storied warehouse and cold storage facility. “I have spoken with officials and engineers of the KMC. Initially, we …