'Identity' for bar staff to keep Mumbai cops at bay

The next time you enter a permit room with live orchestra, commonly known as a dance bar, do not be shocked to see the staffers wearing identity cards.

For almost the past one month, the 250-odd dance bars in the city have made it a rule for all their staffers to wear identity cards — not as part of corporate etiquette but for their own safety and security.

According to president of the Orchestra Bar Association Bharat Thakur, the practice began after many bar owners who are members of the association complained of police harassment.

“Many a times, there are raids conducted on bars, and the first victims are our waitresses, singers and the staff. To avoid this situation, we have decided that all the singers as well as the staff will wear identity cards while on duty,” said Thakur.

While the singers are contract employees of the bars, the erstwhile bar dancers, many of whom now work as waitresses, sign a ‘naukarnama’ for the bar owners. “We do not sign contracts with the serving staff.

However, in case of a police inquiry, the bar owners have to show a copy of the naukarnama to the police. It takes time to take out files and show all the copies. Identity cards have made our jobs easy,” said Thakur.

However, according to many bar workers, the identity card is simply another way to fool the police. A waitress working in a Matunga orchestra bar said that the bar owners want to retain bar girls even after the deadline and so these identity cards come in handy.

“As per the rule, only four female singers are allowed to be on duty after 9.30pm. However, bar owners or managers often retain two waiters after 9.30pm. During the mandatory police checking between 9.30pm and 10.30pm, they make these girls sit near the singers. After the police rounds are over, the girls return to serving the customers,” she said.