Carlton Towers: 13 yrs after fire tragedy, 30% units unoccupied

Thirteen years after the Carlton Towers fire incident on February 23, 2010, nearly 30 per cent of the 160 office spaces remain unoccupied.

When the building opened again in 2016 after clearances, demand for occupancy was tepid with only a few spaces actually getting filled.

Association manager A Manigandan told DH that occupancy has improved in the last two to three years.

Carlton Towers Owners Association president Varnit Jain said they have taken measures such as installing safer generators and fire-resistant doors, besides acquiring fire department clearances. They have also been working with the fire department and other organisations to train occupants in fire safety. Manigandan also said the association recently applied for routine renewal of its fire safety clearance.

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Jain said unit owners suffered severe losses for several years over clearance delays and finding tenants. But unlike in the past, owners now need not cut down rents below market rates.

“Many units are unoccupied because the owners are based in other states and have gotten old. Each owner has to negotiate with prospective tenants individually, so the units of those who aren’t actively involved are not getting rented out,” he said.

Second blueprint

Beyond Carlton is now in talks with the Fire and Emergency Services Department to develop a second fire safety blueprint for Bengaluru.

The group, which includes family members of those who died in the Carlton Towers fire, had worked with the fire department to release the first blueprint in 2018.

The blueprint is meant to integrate fire safety as part of Bengaluru’s infrastructure. The first blueprint included measures like a fire safety retrofitting policy for buildings, setting up burns wards and connecting volunteer groups to the fire force, said Cheryl Rebello, CEO of Beyond Carlton.

“A couple of assessments showed that implementation was progressing, but it needs more attention.

“It’s a long-term plan. Since the timeline of the first blueprint will be over in 2023, we are on time to develop the second blueprint,” Rebello said.

Dr Alok Mohan, Director General, Fire and Emergency Services Department, said the second blueprint is also proposed as a five-year plan and that talks are ongoing.

#FireSense101

Beside their routine programmes, Beyond Carlton last year started #FireSense101, a fire safety programme for high-rise apartments in partnership with Bangalore Apartment Federation.

Last year, the group trained estate managers of apartment complexes, while this year, it has plans to train residents and hold mock drills.