Kolkata's 151-year-old New Market to get earthquake-resistant upgrade
The iconic 151-year-old New Market in the heart of Kolkata, a very popular shopping spot for tourists from Bangladesh, will be made earthquake-resistant with the installation of seismic bars to strengthen the century-old structure, city civic body officials said today (8 December).
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has already prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for the works at S S Hogg Market, which is popularly known as New Market.
"We are unwilling to take any risks with heritage structures. We have decided to install seismic bars at the S S Hogg Market," a KMC official said.
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The decision to install the seismic bars was taken based on the recommendations from geophysics and civil engineering experts of Jadavpur University, he added.
Built in 1874, the New Market houses nearly 3,000 shops and is one of the city's busiest commercial hubs.
"Similar seismic reinforcements are used in Singapore and Japan, and in Mumbai to protect old buildings. The seismic bars absorb and redistribute shock waves during an earthquake, reducing structural stress," the official said.
As part of the system, underground cables will be laid around the market, and these wires will then be connected to the structural columns of individual shops, according to the official.
