Young guns miss the city’s booming nightlife

Young guns miss the city’s booming nightlife
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Nightlife is an integral part any booming metro. But the Bangalore police seem to think otherwise: Switch off the music and stay away from the dance floor. That’s what Bangloreans are now being asked to do, by the cops.

While the city’s party goers thought it was the dance bars that were being put under the scanner and being shut down for flouting the rules, it has jolted them when they realised that all pubs, bars, restaurants should pull down its shutters by 11.30 PM.

Bangaloreans, especially BPOs and call centre employees, feel the ‘‘police and the authorities in the Government need to understand that entertainment is as important as regular infrastructure, when it comes to attracting tourists, investments or providing a better lifestyle for the citizens of Bangalore,’’ said a member from Spring Board Public Relations.

The city is home to a large population of e-workers who work with the IT and the ITES sector. They finish work mostly by 10 PM and want to hang out at least till late midnight.

But the closure at 11.30 PM means the closure of entertainment options for youngsters who want to relax after a long day at work.

‘‘We are losing out on nightlife. We are being deprived of a healthy outlet for our energy, ’’says Nayana from Indiranagar.

‘‘We are forced to go to far away to dhabas, where we get to drink illicit liquor, and eat bow-bow biriyani,’’ says Rajesh Raj, an employee at one of the city’s BPO.

Meanwhile, Harish Bijoor, CEO of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc, says cops should stay away from moral policing. ‘‘Saying dancing and music leads to crime is like saying sexual content in movies is responsible for population growth. Where is democracy?

Should we be told at this age, what to do and what not to do?’’ he asks.

The closure has not only affected party animals but also hundreds of talented Deejays, for whom these pubs were a platform to showcase their talent, which has now been ripped out.

Bangalore, known as a city with happening music, the closure has affected the transit tourism. Many people from neighbouring states and districts came down to party in the city.

Meanwhile, city restaurateurs say the early closure of pubs and bars is affecting their business by about 25 to 30 percent. They should be given some leeway.