Bengaluru gears up to do a Mumbai — get a nightlife

The city, known for its busy streets, sprawling malls, restaurants serving global cuisine, and a buzzing cultural landscape, grinds to a standstill by 11 pm, thanks to the current laws. The state government now plans to change that, so that the metro can take on its peers in the rest of the country.

Senior officials are not willing to give precise details beyond saying that they are studying the nightlife of Mumbai before bringing Bengaluru on the map. Clearly, they need to overcome a lot of fears and hassles. But one thing is for sure: if Bengaluru improves its nightlife, it will provide more jobs, particularly in the hospitality and transport industries.

Ruled out are dance bars, which are common in Mumbai. But pubs and casinos could get the green signal, at least to operate till early morning, as against the present closing time of 11 pm. Provided, of course, the excise and home departments grant permission.

Bengaluru is home to around 1.50 crore people, including some 50 lakh migrants. The city’s central business district includes a 10-km radius around the Karnataka assembly. Recently developed commercial areas include Whitefield and Devanahalli.

Government keen

Both Chief Minister Siddaramaih and his deputy DK Shivakumar are keen on bringing in some nightlife to the city. The government has asked for the views of various organisations including the IT sector, small-scale industries, auto and taxi associations, hotel entrepreneurs, malls, and multiplexes.

It has also sought reports from its own departments including home, excise, urban development, industries, transport and food, and civil supplies.

An official said the government will send a team to Mumbai to study the nightlife there, the problems authorities there confront, and how it has contributed to the city’s economic growth.

Successive governments in Karnataka have been under pressure for years to allow 24-hour operation for many sectors including the hotel and excise industries. But the love for the idea waned every time fears of law and order were brought up.

Force of IT sector

In Bengaluru’s well-known IT sector and related industries, thousands work during night too. In the areas where they are located, several factories and industries are also willing to work for 24 hours.

Bengaluru Urban Development Minister Shivakumar, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, is behind the idea of Brand Bengaluru. He wants record growth in all sectors. A nightlife to speak of is seen as one of the driving factors for this.

What's being debated is whether nightlife should be introduced only in select areas of the city’s central business district or in and around Bengaluru. Some officials favour a limited geographical spread, but the hotel industry feels otherwise.

There is a thinking in the government that extending working hours during the night in several sectors will lead to job creation. These include hotels, malls, and cinemas. Auto-rickshaws and taxis already run 24 hours in Bengaluru. Their numbers will be increased if nightlife comes into play.

Officials insist that in whatever they do, the police view will be given top priority. Law and order, after all, matters more than nightlife.