Calcutta High Court civic body orders.

The Calcutta High Court has mandated a further inspection of the La Martinière for Boys School in Kolkata following a partial ceiling collapse on May 21, 2025. The incident occurred during the school’s summer break and involved a 10×3-foot section of plaster falling from a 40-foot-high ceiling. While no injuries were reported, the event raised significant safety concerns for the school’s 6,000 students.

On June 5, 2025, the court criticized the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) for submitting an incomplete report regarding the building’s condition. The KMC admitted that only 30 out of more than 200 classrooms were inspected, and the roofs, including the one that had previously suffered a significant plaster fall, were not assessed. Consequently, the court ordered a comprehensive inspection to be conducted on June 8, 2025, between 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM, with representatives from the KMC, the West Bengal Heritage Commission, and the school present.

The La Martinière schools have been seeking approval for urgent repairs, including addressing water seepage, damp walls, and rotting wooden beams, which were identified during earlier inspections. However, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had issued stop-work orders, alleging unauthorized renovations. The schools argue that the repairs are necessary for safety and have complied with heritage preservation protocols.

The outcome of the upcoming inspection will determine whether the schools can proceed with the necessary repairs before the academic session resumes on June 17, 2025.

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