The Cinepolis multiplex, which was closed in 2017 for operating without a fire and safety department no-objection certificate, will reopen on Saturday. The multiplex, which is part of the Centre Square Mall on MG Road in Kochi, has subsequently fixed the problems. The Cinepolis multiplex will resume operations from July 30.
The multiplex features cutting-edge screening capabilities, snack outlets, and a lobby. According to a press release, movie screenings will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
According to Cinepolis executives, the multiplex in Kochi will provide cinema fans with a unique experience with 11 screens equipped with cutting-edge projection technology and over 1,500 seats. Cinepolis is owned by a Mexican film exhibition firm.
The theatres had been operating on a temporary licence and were closed on the orders of then-Ernakulam Collector Mohammed Y Safirulla, alleging a “lack of fire safety.” According to an official, the corporation spent 7 crores on renovations and upgraded safety procedures, and the multiplex has already got all approved certifications.
A big gathering of people over a height of 30 metres was not eligible for a no-objection certificate under the previous Kerala Municipality Building Guidelines rules for fire and rescue norms/standards. In addition, the Cinepolis multiplex was found to be operating at a height of 40m without a no-objection certificate from the fire and safety department.
The legislation was revised in 2020 to reduce the requirements to 50 metres, allowing Cinepolis to reopen. Additional fire safety regulations, by international standards, have been integrated into the theatres, and direct evacuation stairs have been built, according to an official.
The 11-screen multiplex can accommodate 1,500 people. The multiplex, which opened in 2015, was closed down in 2017 because the Department of Fire and Rescue Services declined to give a no-objection certificate for the mall’s sixth, seventh, and eighth levels for assembly purposes due to fire safety concerns.
