For long, it was said that Indian cities do not have any nightlife. Even big metropolises were dead at night. Even if the people, or at least a section of the upper crust, wanted to be out in pubs or discotheques, or generally having a good time in five-star hotels and clubs, the guardians of the law took a dim view of any such late-evening activity. At best, 11pm was considered shutdown time. Even in the big metros such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru etc, public transport was virtually non-existent while private taxis and auto rickshaws one hired with a sense of trepidation. Above all else, the local police was barely available to answer an emergency call. In short, India was obliged to pull down shutters on almost all social activity in the public sphere.
Happily, for reasons unknown, Delhi’s proactive Lt Governor VK Saxena has mooted a proposal to allow 314 establishments, including hotels, restaurants, clubs, medical stores, transport services etc, to function 24x7. This is nothing short of a bold move and if implemented would inject a new energy in our metros, inducing a change in entertainment and social patterns, providing new opportunities to local entrepreneurs. A new economy revolving around the dusk- to-dawn activity can grow, should the proposed experiment of round-the-clock service succeed. But for it to succeed some things will have to change. For one, the socially conservative will need to change their attitude, especially to women being out in the late evening. We are still a paternalistic society, treating women inferior to men, especially when it comes to trusting them to be outside the home after dark. It is true that women have to be on guard, especially against sexual assault, in big metros; in rural areas the fear of attracting social opprobrium keeps women indoors, often even during the day, unless accompanied by a male relation. Given the number of molestation and rape incidents in public places and transport, including against foreign tourists, throwing open big cities 24x7 it will be a calculated risk.
We commend such a move, for big cities ought not to succumb to the fear of the unknown and the untoward any longer; however, it will be welcome only after an additional police force and a reliable complement of public transport is put into place. Given the woeful shortage of police personnel even in big cities, and the killer duty hours which often do not allow them even a weekly rest, it is unlikely that the strength of either the police force or of local transport services can be augmented overnight. In other words, throwing open 300-odd establishments for 24x7 operation without provision of additional police and transport puts the onus for safety and security on people who are out after regular shutdown time.
Meanwhile, if any metropolis is half-ready for 24x7 activity it is Mumbai, followed by Bengaluru. Delhi — an overgrown village as Mumbaikars used to call it till recently — ordinarily ought to be the last to experiment with all-night opening, given that Delhiites are generally not half as cosmopolitan as they are in Mumbai or Bengaluru. Let’s face it, cities require good and efficient administrators as well as civic-minded residents. Both being in short supply in every big city in India, it is futile to expect that we can soon aspire to a nightlife as good as is in London, New York or Paris. Once we reach their level of economic prosperity, administrative competence and social awareness we will not have to keep our fingers crossed. Meanwhile, as India’s capital experiments with all-night functioning, it is just as well that Mumbai has a chance to learn from Delhi before considering opening up 24x7.
