Mall impact: How a sleepy locality turned into a glitzy hangout zone
Times of India | 15 June 2024
Kolkata: When Acropolis Mall came up on Rajdanaga Main Road off the Kasba connector in 2015, it started a change that went on to completely overhaul the character of the neighbourhood. What used to be a sleepy, quiet locality began to see a surge in development, with cafes, restaurants, take-away eateries, pubs and even a food street coming up in subsequent years and a real estate boom leading to new residential buildings rising high.
The mall emerged as the biggest crowd-puller in the area as people of all ages started to hang out there with friends and families, visiting the array of retail outlets, restaurants, sprawling food court and the multiplex there. Shortly, the crowd started spilling over to outlets outside and now, nine years later, the mall is surrounded by streets, lined with neon-sign-lit eateries and bars.
Located in the southern suburbs and a stone’s throw distance from the Ruby crossing, Acropolis has decent commute connectivity via metro and road. The adequate parking space and a patio in front make the place appealing and convenient to most. Locals now consider the mall a part of their everyday life. “It is the first, shiny mall in our neighbourhood. Before Acropolis came up, we had to go all the way to South City mall on Prince Anwar Shah Road to watch a film or visit one of the big restaurants and bars there. But Acropolis has now become an integral part of our life. If we plan to meet somebody outside or buy even something small, Acropolis is our go-to place,” said Debjani Ghosh, a resident of P Majumdar Road.
The fire at Acropolis on Friday afternoon not only stopped operations at the mall but also robbed the numerous eateries, markets and lifestyle outlets in the vicinity of the entire day’s business. Owners of those outlets prayed for the mall to reopen soon as they, too, depended on the mall visitors to a large extent. The South Island, an eatery on Rajdanga Nabapally, Block AA, saw a 70% drop in footfall in the afternoon after the fire. “As the roads are shut for the fire, people have not dropped in to have lunch. But that is fine as long as the mall reopens soon as we depend on it for our business,” said a manager of the eatery.
The food street on Salil Chowdhury Sarani, which extends up to P Majumdar Road, has especially developed in the past five years. From kebab platters to ice creams to chaats, several food carts line the food street. “I like the vibe of the entire place. Youngsters, groups of friends and families are seen hanging out outside the mall. Whenever we go to Acropolis to watch a film, we usually have kebabs from one of the carts opposite the mall,” said Esha Ganguly, a resident of Anandapur.