Burrabazar

Before the British came the most powerful families in the region were Sett and Bysacks, the merchants of yarn and cloth market at Sutanuti. With the arrival of the British these families flourished with renewed vigour. Janardan Sett was a trading agent of the British. Shobharam Bysack (1690–1773) became a millionaire by supplying textiles to British East India Company.[6] One of the earliest names floating around is that of Mukundaram Sett, who lived in the earlier part of sixteenth century and moved from Satgaon to Gobindapur.[7] Sutanuti haat has been traced back to 1738 by Orme. In the siege of 1756, troops of Siraj ud-Daulah set fire to the market and took possession of Jorabagan and Kumortuli, neighbourhoods further north where the merchants lived.[4]

In between Sutanuti haat made way for Bazar Kolkata, some time in the 18th century. The market was spread over nearly 500 bighas and the residential area covered another 400 bighas. Apart from the Seths and Basaks, there were the gold merchants Mullicks and other men of their calibre. Their affluence and pomp are legends even in their days.[8] There also were merchants of comparatively lesser affluence. As for example, the area around what is now Kalakar Street was known as Dhakapattys, as it was home to the Sahas, cloth merchants from Dhaka. The Sheths and Basaks had close links with such cloth producing centres as Dhaka, Murshidabad and Cossimbazar.

In 1888, one of the 25 newly organized police section houses was located in Burrabazar.[9]

Armenian Church of the Holy Nazareth

Burrabzar is bounded by Posta and Jorabagan on the north, Jorasanko and Kolutola on the east, B.B.D. Bagh on the south and Hooghly River on the west. Lalbazar and Bowbazar are at the south-west corner of Burrabazar.[4] The neighbourhood is adjacent to Howrah Bridge (renamed Rabindra Setu). One description of its boundaries puts it as follows: from Posta in the north to Canning Street in the south and from Strand Road in the west to Chitpur Road (renamed Rabindra Sarani) in the east. Within this rough boundary it is a world in itself.[3]

Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary

Cutting right across Burrabazar is Harrison Road, which runs straight from Howrah Bridge to Sealdah Station. It was constructed between December 1889 and 1892, sweeping away many an overcrowded tenement and festering lane. It is of the uniform breadth of 75 feet and named after Sir Henry Harrison, chairman of the corporation, by whom the scheme was inaugurated and matured.[10] It has been renamed after Mahatma Gandhi.[11]

Burrabazar police station is part of the Central division of Kolkata Police. It is located at 8, Mullick Street, Kolkata-700007.[12]

Taltala Women police station covers all police districts under the jurisdiction of the Central division i.e. Bowbazar, Burrabazar, Girish Park, Hare Street, Jorasanko, Muchipara, New Market, Taltala and Posta.[12]

Brabourne Road Flyover, Burrabazar

Slow traffic movement, congested footpaths, accident-prone roads, police-politician-hoodlum nexus and administrative apathy have become the bane of Burrabazar. Traffic in the area, including the approach road to Howrah Bridge, has been a long-standing problem for people passing through the area. Whole of footpath and even around 30% of Brabourne Road is clogged by hawkers who have permanent shops on both side of roads made of tarpaulins and bamboos reducing the already sparse motarable road in the area. Pedestrians are forced to walk on roads along with vehicles. While lorries, taxis, vans and three-wheel goods carriers crowd the main roads, slow-moving vehicles like cycle-vans and carts clog the side-streets. It often takes more than half-an-hour to cross the two-km stretch. A large number of governmental public buses and private buses ply through Burrabazar. Kolkata tram route no. 18 serves Burrabazar (via MG Road).[18] Braborne Road Flyover (1.2 km stretch) connects Howrah Bridge with Braborne Road in Burrabazar.[19]

The road is full of showrooms, warehouses, parking lots and what not... that is Burrabazar

According to an estimate of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, around 600 buildings in Burrabazar are risky and hazardous and another 500 partly risky. According to West Bengal Fire Service officials, at least 100 persons were injured in separate mishaps in which five buildings collapsed and 30 buildings caved in partially in 2007. In almost every building, 50 to 100 shops were built on each floor by erecting plywood partitions. The civic body has plans to pull down many of the unsafe buildings.[20]

On 31 March 2016, a flyover on Vivekananda Road near Burrabazar collapsed, killing 22 people and injuring many more.[21]

Along with buildings in danger of collapsing, the fire services department has fixed its gaze on structures in Burrabazar that can catch fire any moment because of faulty wiring. According to fire service officials, most of the 50-odd fires that broke out in the trade hub in 2005 were caused by short circuits, a consequence of faulty connections. At least 500 buildings in Burrabazar can be described as fire hazards. A disaster can strike any day. There are numerous building with hundreds of temporary electrical connections. Most tenants have drawn up temporary connections, ignoring all rules. These illegal and haphazard connections often lead to short circuits and fire.[22] At least 47 market complexes in Kolkata have been identified as "high risk" by a fire safety committee between 2010 and 2012[23]

According to fire brigade officials, "It is generally believed that there are more fires during Kali puja. However, the number of fires during pujas has gone down considerably in recent times due to imposition of the fire-safety norms.[24] There used to be around 15 fires during Durga puja and over 100 fires during Kali puja. In 2005, there was only one fire during Durga puja and no fires at all during Kali puja".[25]

In January 2008, fire ravaged Nandram market in Burrabazar for nearly a week. More than 1,200 shops went up in flames. Three hundred fire fighters and 54 fire tenders were sent to fight the fire. More than 1,000 people, who live in neighbouring residential apartments, were evacuated. Traffic in the area was thrown out of gear.[26][27]

Fires are regular features in Burrabazar. In January 2000, rows of shops were gutted at Manohar Das Katra. In December 2002, there was fire in the wholesale market of woollen goods. In April 2003, fire struck Satyanarayan Park AC market. In September 2004 there was fire in a sari shop in Hari Ram Goenka Street. In July 2005, there was fire at a hosiery warehouse, off Kalakar Street. In September 2005, there was fire in a Jackson Lane warehouse filled with plastic and paper. In March 2006, there was fire in a bank on Ezra Street.[3]

A fire devastated the five floors of Bagree Market in September 2018, affecting some 500 traders, who lost 2-5 billion rupees, and about 3,000 staff.[24] The All India Federation of Tax Practitioners organised a free helpline for the traders who lost their documents and found it difficult to prepare their accounts.[28]