Locals happy but wary as cafes add to Park St glitz
Times of India | 13 June 2024
Kolkata: Tuesday’s fire at a restaurant that operated in a makeshift structure of a building’s terrace at the Camac Street-Park Street intersection has led to concerns among long-time residents of the area about the mushrooming of eateries and other establishments with scant regard to safety norms. Park Street has been a party street for nearly a century, with restaurants like Mocambo, Peter Cat, Bar-B-Q, Kwality, Oasis, Magnolia, Flury’s, Tincas and Moulin Rouge, being in operation for decades.
But in the past six-seven years, the number of eateries have exploded. Of these, many are located in buildings designed for offices, and there are still others that have converted terraces into cafés and party joints. However, these have also infused fresh life into Park Street, which was getting jaded and losing its attraction with other food hubs popping up across the city, including on Sarat Bose Road, Purna Das Road, Kasba connector, Salt Lake and Chinar Park.
“The advent of resto-bars and lounges in Park Street has added more than a dollop of glamour to what has been the showcase street of Kolkata. It has created new business opportunities. But what is of concern is the mushrooming of joints, especially those that have come up on terraces that were not meant for such activities,” said businessman Sanwar Agarwal who lives in a building opposite Magma House and Celica Park, where office spaces now house nearly a dozen cafés, hookah bars and lounges. Agarwal and others had complained of loud music from the terrace night clubs disturbing residents till late at night.
Others pointed to the issue of car parking on either side of Middleton Row that also houses several popular joints.
Travel agent Anil Punjabi, who has been living and conducting business in the area for a long time, said the administration and civic authorities should ensure that Park Street retains its distinct flavour and pride of place. “Foreigners compare Park Street with Oxford Street in London. The wide pavements, the high-street stores and the classic restaurants make it a prime area. We want the place to remain a safe zone where establishments adhere to the norms and the street does not get a bad name,” Punjabi said.
Party places in Park Street said they followed all norms ensuring safety of the property and neighbourhood. “We have all the required licences and follow all the safety guidelines. It is very important for our business too,” said Vijay Bokadia, co-owner of Once Upon a Plate on the ground floor of 1/1 Camac Street. On Tuesday, a fire gutted What’s In D Name on the upper levels.
Park Street has seen several fires in the last one and a half decades which has caused considerable damage to life and property. This has been a cause of concern for stakeholders, including residents, business owners and the administration. “There were several mixed-use buildings on Park Street with disputes between tenants and owners. As a result, maintenance suffered with several electric fires getting triggered due to faulty wiring. In the past decade or so, we have taken up the task of overhauling these wirings by talking to tenants and landlords. If we have to run a business here, we can’t compromise on safety,” said a representative of a traders’ association on Park Street.
“We keep everybody’s interest in mind while conducting our business,” said the manager of a pub.