By Zeesha Jawed
KOLKATA: Aman Bansal, owner of Astroturf, the latest addition to College Street, said there were “several options” for the rooftop space. “But we decided to turn it into a sports arena,” he said, adding, “This is such a busy area, with so many educational institutes and bookstores, but there are hardly any playgrounds.... A lot of groups have already shown interest in using our place for sporting activities.”
Interested groups can book the place on an hourly basis for a game of cricket or football or even organise a small party. The place has floodlights and seating arrangements on the sidelines.
Regulars to Coffee House say they are suddenly bumping into new faces on the winding stairs of 15 Bankim Chatterjee Street. “Dressed in jerseys, shorts and trainers, they climb the stairs swiftly. Earlier, the building was synonymous with brainstorming; now, another type of crowd — comprised of fitness enthusiasts — has been added. It is also a very interesting mix of the traditional and the new,” said Anish Gupta, a medical practitioner and a regular at Coffee House.
The evolution of College Street, a 2km- stretch that witnessed Bengal’s Renaissance, began a few years ago, with several new businesses opening shop here.
When Food Station opened opposite Medical College Kolkata a few years ago, it became an instant rage with the student community, with air-conditioned interiors and a snooker table. “It was so cool to visit Food Station and play a game of snooker,” said Sayantan Mazumdar, a former student of Presidency University’s mathematics department.
Food Square came up only three years ago beside the century-old Paramount. Students from neighbouring colleges and universities flock there for noodles, mocktails and fries. But the latest addition is a food truck right in front of Presidency University. In the past few days, it has become a haunt for the student community. “We are finishing our entire inventory every day. We have customers from noon till late in the evening,” said an attendant.
The students themselves felt it was nice to have more options. “The traditional establishments have been around for decades, but some of them have not adapted with time. So, it is natural that somebody else would fill up that space. Some of the new eateries, including the food truck, are attracting lots of customers,” said Anindita Saha, a Presidency University student.
