No quiet corner at home to work? A “cocoon” can be your answer.

With work-from-home becoming the new normal because of the Covid pandemic, the New Town authorities have come up with the concept of work cocoons.

The cocoons, which are small two-storey structures, have been set up in three places — opposite Nazrul Tirtha, opposite Eco Park (near the Owl crossing) and near Sankalpa 4 housing complex.

“The cocoons, called Happy Works Working Pods, have in-built high-speed WiFi networks and charging stations,” said an official of Hidco, which has built the structures.

“Apart from desks and chairs, there are sofas in the pods.”

The first such pod, the one opposite Nazrul Tirtha, will be inaugurated on August 13.

Hidco officials came up with the idea to set up these neighbourhood work cocoons during the lockdown last year.

“We decided to set up these cocoons at a meeting that focussed on making life easier during the pandemic. Many residents across the city live in apartments and they don’t have a dedicated study or work space,” a senior Hidco official said.

“Many cannot afford large spacious apartments that have a dedicated study or office space. Such people struggle working from home because of space constraints.”

Architect Abin Chaudhuri and his team have designed the cocoons.

The air-conditioned pods house a small café and a branch of the New Town Library each. Newspapers, magazines and bestsellers will be kept at one corner of each pod.

“Around 18 people can use a pod at one time. Adequate space has been kept following the social-distancing norm. One has to pay Rs 20 an hour to work from a pod,” the official said.

“People will find it more relaxing to work from a co-working space like a working pod,” said Debashis Sen, the managing director of Hidco.

More such work pods are in the pipeline in the township.