Long after Elco Pani Puri in Bandra lost its taste charm on my palate, pani puri with ragda at Vile Parle Station's Khao Galli became a favourite. A friend and I have nursed heartbreaks with the spicy pani's heartburn, and gossiped about all things under the sun during our walk to the spot. We have been living in mortal fear ever since the Coronavirus outbreak in March. I wonder how lovers of street food will once again return to the stalls that line the gullies of Mumbai and the corners of Purani Dilli with not a care for hygiene?

The pandemic has brought its own woos. Last month, the Bombay High Court told the Maharashtra state government to frame a policy to enable street vendors to earn a living during the lockdown. The BMC has sought time to reply to this, while Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has designed a policy for them to operate outside of containment zones.