Bypass snack hub resumes biz 2 days after brawl but few turn up - Times of India

Kolkata: Most snack joints near the flyover that connects Bypass with VIP Road reopened on Wednesday evening, about 48 hours after five girls were allegedly beaten up by group from the adjacent slum. It was a stark contrast from Tuesday night, when all these joints had downed shutters and most houses in the slum were locked.
The stretch running about 100m is dotted with fast-food joints and has emerged as a popular spot for adda at night over tea, coffee or fast food.

The five girls had visited the zone on Monday night after a Diwali get-together. A heated argument ensued after a few locals protested when the girls were trying to find a dark place to relieve themselves. When TOI visited the spot on Tuesday night, there was an eerie silence. The usual scene of vehicles jostling for space as visitors bought snacks from the shops was absent. “The last time all shops were shut was during the pandemic. This place looked strange on Tuesday night,” said a slum-dweller.
The slum in ward 39 under Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC), in Duttabad, houses about 50-60 families. Goutam’s a popular joint, the foremost to come up at the stretch, and the hang-out zone is known by this name. Now, there are about two dozen food joints, many of which are run by the slum-dwellers. Several slum-dwellers are also employed at these shops.
“These food joints provide livelihood for many in Duttabad. We hope people forget about the unfortunate incident on Monday night and start coming in again,” said a local.
The elders in the locality were of the opinion that the local youths should have been more empathetic towards the girls. The two toilets with a men’s urinal next to them came up about three years ago. While the enclosure that houses the men’s urinal always remains open, the two toilets are locked even during the day. Locals alleged that the keys are kept at one of the food joints as the toilet is used only by its employees and customers.
“While I do not support the girls relieving themselves out in the open, I strongly condemn the attack on them. Being a woman, I know no woman will try to urinate in the open unless it is urgent. If the public toilet is locked, what could those women do?” said Saswati Burman, a local.
But though the joints reop-ened on Wednesday, visitors were few. Locals hoped the bu-zz will return by the weekend.

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Bypass snack hub resumes biz 2 days after brawl but few turn up - Times of India
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