VR Punjab Mall closed: VR Punjab Mall located in Mohali has been temporarily closed to the public. According to the mall management, the decision has been taken considering the risk of possible structural damage to the building following the April 3 earthquake. Placing public notices at the entrances of the Mall (…)
VR Punjab Mall closed: VR Punjab Mall located in Mohali has been temporarily closed to the public. According to the mall management, the decision has been taken considering the risk of possible structural damage to the building following the April 3 earthquake.
A public notice has been put up at the entrances of the mall stating that the safety of visitors, shopkeepers and employees is the first priority. Therefore, the mall has been closed with immediate effect and a detailed technical inspection of the entire building will be conducted before reopening.
The management informed that some possible structural hazards have been identified during inspection by internal and external technical teams. In view of this, the Board has decided to keep the Mall closed till further orders. All concerned parties have been informed about this.
Mall is operated by Malwa Private Limited. A public notice issued by the company is pasted at the entrance gates. The salient points of this notice are given below:
- VR Punjab Mall has announced that, following the April 3 earthquake, the mall is being closed immediately due to concerns regarding potential structural instability in the building, primarily to ensure the safety of visitors and shoppers.
- According to the company that operates the mall, inspections by both the mall’s internal team and an external technical team revealed the potential for serious structural hazards within the building. As a result, the company’s board of directors decided to keep the mall closed to the general public. This decision has been communicated to administrative officials, shopkeepers, employees, suppliers and other relevant stakeholders.
- The company added that the mall will be reopened only after a thorough inspection confirms that the building is structurally sound and safe for public use.
Main Features of the Mall
VR Punjab Mall was spread over an area of about 22 acres and was considered one of the largest shopping malls in North India. It had retail outlets of leading brands like H&M, Marks & Spencer, Da Milano, and Reliance Retail. The mall had a large PVR cinema complex as well as a ‘Fun City’ area dedicated to children. For food, several options were available, such as Taco Bell, Yo! China, La Pino’z Pizza, and The Beer Cafe.
Opened to the public in 2014
VR Mall Punjab was opened to the general public in May 2014. At the time, it was known as North Country Mall (NCM). This huge mall was developed by San Apollo-Gamburg; It is spread over about 21.6 acres and encloses a huge complex covering about 1.8 million square feet. In 2017, Virtuous Retail South Asia acquired the mall for around ₹700 crore.
Subsequently, in September 2017, it was renamed to VR Punjab. While “VR” stands for Virtuous Retail, the name was also chosen to evoke the feeling of “We are Punjab”, creating a sense of belonging among the people. Initially, the company started a free bus service to ensure the success of the mall.
Under the current circumstances, no clear date has been given as to when the mall will reopen. Some reports are also suggesting that the site may be converted to another purpose, such as a hospital, in the future.
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