Twitter
Advertisement

Nightlife at a price?

Subhash Motwani, founding member of Clean Heritage Colaba Residents' Association (CHCRA) shares the collective viewpoint of Colaba residents

Latest News
article-main
Representational picture
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

For the past ten days or so, Mumbai has been looking forward to usher in an exciting nightlife. But how realistic will it be for the city? I can see only two segments benefitting from the city being open 24x7—those who live in a world far from reality and those who will gain commercially. Here are a few questions that need to be answered to ensure that nightlife for a handful does not become a nightmare for the rest of the city.

As per the statement of the Police Commissioner of Mumbai, nightlife will only be allowed in a non-residential area. If the Gateway of India is considered a non-residential area, for instance, will the authorities be able to control the overflow of cars and the public coming in at odd hours in those densely populated residential areas, which are just a lane away from the Gateway of India?
In the present scenario, when several restaurants are unofficially open beyond 11 p.m. there is already such nuisance that an emergency vehicle cannot pass through given the chaos of traffic, double parking, angular parking and more. Will the authorities mark residential zones as zero-tolerance zones and prohibit vehicles and pedestrians who trespass residential areas located just parallel to the non-residential area? Will cameras be installed to monitor every activity constantly and take action? The reality is that residential areas are and will further be encroached by guests visiting the areas to dine, wine and create chaos. Currently, there is no machinery to control it, so imagine what the plight will be when everything becomes 24x7?

Open spaces are encroached either by illegal hawkers or by beggars, who set up transit homes to become permanent residents, especially near Radio Club and the by-lanes behind the Taj Hotel. When the city opens 24x7, will the beggars and drug peddlers be "relocated" to residential zones? If not, it will encourage more illegal immigrants being brought in to Mumbai to consolidate vote banks at the cost of the city. And let's
not forget the increase in crime rates too.

A visit to one of the "unofficial" encroached canteens in the by-lanes behind the Taj will now multiply in every by-lane. Additionally, there is no system to dispose the remains of food or beverages served in the area. For drivers and those heavily intoxicated, most of the dimly-lit streets serve as open urinals too.

In the current scenario, two-wheelers entering no-entry lanes is quite common, and even the traffic constables fear fining them as the violators are simply too many and the towing vans are invariably on VIP duty or cannot tow vehicles beyond the size of a Nano or a Wagon-R. The fines are a pittance. Will the authorities increase the number of cops manning the street or will the citizens have to man their own streets, which is impossible as lawbreakers currently outnumber those who respect the law?

In Mumbai, discipline and civil sense need to be instilled first along with a plan for decongestion, without violating the rights of the residents who stay around tourist-friendly areas. Then only will it encourage tourism and a peaceful nightlife. If not, it is a disastrous plan waiting to make nightlife nothing but a nightmare for everyone.

The success of nightlife in European cities is due to the fact that the zones offering this are strictly marked as pedestrian zones and are only meant for vehicular traffic for residents, equipped with security cameras and discipline in terms of civic sense. They also have a variety of garbage bins for recycled items, plastic items, dry and wet garbage and moreover, stringent security to pull up the violators and penalise them heavily.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement