Tea Board of India plans heritage makeover for Kolkata's century-old tea shops

Kolkata's relationship with tea lives in the old shanties in its narrow lanes, on its wooden benches and aimless conversations shared over clay cups. The Tea Board of India now plans to honour that legacy by renovating some of the city's oldest tea shops and eateries.

Seven establishments on the initial list

The Board has identified seven establishments so far, and the search for more continues. The list includes:

·        Chitto Babur Dokan on Dacre's Lane

·        Balwant Singh Dhaba in Bhawanipore

·        Kona Dokan in Dalhousie  

·        National Economic Restaurant in Shyambazar

·        Naresh Babu's Tea Stall in Serampore.

Each has been part of local life for generations, serving as a gathering point for students, office-goers and locals alike.

Tea Board chairman C. Murugan said the beautification work would be carried out only with the consent of the owners. The aim is to preserve and highlight these establishments while giving them a more distinctive heritage identity, so that their place in the city's cultural fabric is formally recognised.

The Board has not yet announced the scope of the renovations, how they will be funded, or what heritage guidelines will apply.

Kolkata’s tea shops are living archives of local history, where conversations, debates and routines have continued across decades. Recognising them could also bring more customers and tourists, which would sustain the businesses that often run on thin margins.

The announcement was made at a Tea Board seminar that also covered broader reforms for the industry. Participants discussed modernising tea auctions through online systems and digitising licences and certificates to cut paperwork and delays. Improving price realisation for small tea growers, who often struggle to secure fair returns, was also discussed.

The initiative could safeguard some of Kolkata's most beloved cultural landmarks for the next century, and honour the city’s love affair with tea. Whether the Tea Board fulfils on its promise, remains to be seen.

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