Amid coronavirus lockdown, Kolkata’s boi para seems lifeless

A view of the Dharmatala New Market in Kolkata. Although a few shops are open in New Market, the usual crowd of shoppers is absent. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

College Street is an eminent center of Kolkata’s literary crowd. It is considered as second home to the intellectuals, scholars, academicians, students and book lovers of Kolkata. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Colloquially known as ‘Boi Para’ (book-mart), it houses Kolkata’s most prestigious and renowned academic institutions like University Of Calcutta, Calcutta Medical College, Presidency College, Sanskrit College, Hare School and Hindu School.(Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

During the coronavirus lockdown, cyclone Amphan completely destroyed all the bookshops on College Street. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Although some bookstores are open but buyers are hardly seen. Booksellers say they could have saved a lot of books from being ruined if it hadn't been for the coronavirus lockdown. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Book sellers said that no one was coming to buy books as schools and colleges are closed. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Many traders have complained that the government has promised to help them but they have not yet received any help. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

Shops in Dharmatala New Market wear a deserted look. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

At one point of time, these narrow lanes of Kolkata served as a short cut for office commuters to get to the station, now these lanes bear a deserted look. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)

A child plays cricket in front of a house in north Kolkata. (Express Photo by Shashi Ghosh)