Monday, 16 February 2026
Monday, 16 February 2026
A family from Kidderpore was leaving Quest with two bags — one stuffed with a giant gift-wrapped toy and another with children’s wear. Moin Ahmed, wife Hena and son Ahad had come to buy a surprise gift for their daughter, who turns nine on Tuesday. “This lockdown has been very taxing on children. Hope this (the gift) lifts her (his daughter’s) spirit,” said Moin. “It was great to see people following all the norms,” said Sanjeev Mehra, vice-president, Quest.
The long and hard trek back to everyday business began on Monday. It cannot be a one-day affair but meet some of the Calcuttans who stepped out and spent money to rediscover some of the joys of life that we once took for granted.
The familiar hum and the sprint to grab a just-vacated seat was missing but the food court at South City mall had several diners on Monday afternoon. The functional eatery was suddenly an elegant dining option where people sat unhurried. Once people took the seats, it was apparent that keeping distance was not always very difficult if there was a will. South City Group vice-president Man Mohan Bagree travelled back in time to 2008. “It was giving me a feeling of actually launching a new property... the same experience that we had in January 16, 2008,” he said, referring to the reopening of the mall on Monday after the lockdown.
“We were very excited and looking for a good footfall but we faced a lot of challenges also... we hope the mall to be fully operational by tomorrow (Tuesday) or the day after,” said Bagree. “The food court is open and restaurants will open in a phased manner. Almost all shops are open. It is a learning time for all of us. Apart from managing a mall, it is also about managing corona. You cannot frisk people also, which is a major concern. We have kept it cool and casual,” he said.
For Saket Mohta, MD, Merlin Group and developer of Acropolis, it was “a wow feeling” to see Acropolis back to its hang-out avatar after 80 days. “I really felt suffocated when the lockdown was announced as normal life was paralysed but it was for the welfare of people. I love to go to the mall and am a regular at Starbucks coffee shop and Ozora (the rooftop hang-out spot). We at Acropolis mall asked all brands to open and almost 60 per cent brands opened today,” he said.
Brand loyalist: Jadavpur University student Sukanya Sengupta was looking for an Adidas T-shirt for some time. On first chance, she was at South City mall with father Debatosh to pick up one. But the Adidas store at the mall was shut. Her mind was still fixed on Adidas and nothing else. So she moved on. “We had searched for the T-shirt online but did not get it. So we decided to come to the mall physically but…” she said. The father and daughter did some window-shopping after that.
Gautam Bose
By 3.15pm, Peter Cat on Park Street had served “10 groups”. At 8pm, three tables were occupied and there was a bit of a rush because by 9pm the shutters had to be downed. “More than what we had expected on Day One,” said the manager, Hansel Bergeon. The restaurant could seat 160 diners at a time earlier. The number is 80 now.
Customers at City Centre New Town. “We had been pleading with the government to allow us to open in May itself as we could ensure social distancing and still offer seamless experience to the shoppers. Shoppers have been waiting outside the main entrances,” said Ramesh Pandey, whole time director, marketing and events, Ambuja Neotia Group that owns City Centre Salt Lake and City Centre New Town
The doctors: Three young Calcuttans who have been bone-tired busy this Covid season were tucking into burgers and good ol’ French fries at the food court in Acropolis mall. They were at the mall to take care of some “essential” shopping. One had broken his spectacles and another’s mobile phone was acting up. They are doctors from a city hospital on the frontline of the Covid fight. “As doctors, we know there is no threat in having food outside if proper hygiene is maintained. And we were hungry,” said Rudra Roy. His colleague Adrija Paul Roy did her nail extension at a salon at the mall. “We had stuff to do,” she said.
Gautam Bose
A group of four was the last at the table at Bar-B-Q around 8.15pm on Monday. “Our last order is at 8.30,” the bearer reminded them. According to the norms, they have to shut down by 9pm. Between 2.30 and 4.30pm, around eight tables were full, said a beaming Stephen De Rozario, the manager. Bar-B-Q could seat 150 people before the lockdown. The number is half now. “The turnout for the first day’s lunch was more than expected. But Indians don’t feel hungry before 9pm. So, the numbers dwindled after sundown,” Rozario said.
Gautam Bose and Sanat Kumar Sinha
Essentials plus: During the lockdown, Priyanka Chowdhury tried to buy her set of skin and body care products, but did not get them online. “I really needed them,” she said with a bag from The Body Shop in her hand. Before Priyanka stepped out of the mall around 2pm, she also picked up a pair of jeans.
Gautam Bose
The endless stream of vehicles was missing outside the misty glass wall but the Darjeeling in the cup tasted the same. Flury’s had two of the 20-odd tables occupied around 4pm. A spell of rain outside did not help the footfall, said the man in charge of the confectionary. “The breakfast scene was better,” said Chiranjit Gayen.
A shopper does not a revival make but a beginning was made on Monday when lifestyle hangouts opened in Calcutta after 74 days and some Calcuttans made it a point to make a purchase or grab a bite.
Doting dad: Among the early birds at South City mall was a father who was looking for a dress for his daughter’s eighth birthday. “How long will we live in fear?” asked IT professional Sankhadip Sikdar, a shopping bag in hand. “I last shopped for her around Christmas,” the father said. The child had wanted to join her father in the shopping expedition but was not allowed by her parents because of her age. Sankhadip said he was carrying a hand sanitiser and using it frequently. “And I am keeping a safe distance from others.”
Gautam Bose
Home kit: College student Arghadeep Ghosh said he had always been an outdoors person. But the lockdown turned his routine upside down like everyone else’s. Over the past two months, he realised he did not have enough clothes for home. On Monday, Arghadeep was at South City for a pair of joggers. “I desperately needed them,” Arghadeep said, with a Zara bag in his hands. The student of Heritage College had come with his mother.
Gautam Bose
