Are the rules for the new and old Bhopal different? Well it appears so. While the commercial activities in old city continue till late night, the establishments at new Bhopal down their shutters by 11 pm. The efforts of police department to ensure closure of shops and hotels in areas like Jahangirabad, Nadra Bus stand and railway station in old city have failed time and again. The eateries, shops and restaurants in old Bhopal areas are seen full of life till late night. Shops and stalls in old Bhopal area including Jahangirabad, Mangalwara, Itwara, Nadra bus stand, Quazi camp, railway station are seen bustling with commercial activities past midnight.
Several incidents of loot and assault have been reported in these areas during late hours in past. In Jahangirabad area, the restaurants are seen downing their shutters only hearing the siren of police patrolling van. The scene at Nadra Bus stand and railway station is no different. As hundreds of visitors and passengers throng the area, the eateries, restaurants and tea stalls remain open throughout the night to cater them.
The area at Quazi camp has over 70 shops in a row offering everything from tea to eatables round the clock. The entire stretch that links Bhopal talkies to DIG bungalow remains humming till dawn. On contrary, the shops and eateries at ISBT in new Bhopal pull down their shutters past 11, while joints and stalls near Habibganj railway station, which greets passengers 24×7, shuts down by 2 pm.
One of the shopkeepers at Habibganj railway station rued that cops force them to close the establishment by 1 am, even when the customers are around. The shopkeepers at old city are lucky as they have longer operational hours, he added. The cops are too strict in ensuring that commercial establishment as small as tea stall shuts down before midnight, but they get lax when it comes to implementing the rule in old city area, the traders operating near Habibganj station lamented.
