Don't let the sun go down on Mumbai

I am writing this piece at 2.30am on a Monday morning in my room in Mumbai. The mosquitoes buzz about hysterically yet the night is quiet and peaceful. I hear the Arabian Sea slap lazily against the city shores as the crickets and a few stray dogs break the silence intermittently. To me it seems as if the city is sleeping because after all we are still not officially "24x7", but Mumbai is very much and has always been the city that never sleeps.

Consider Bade Miyan in Colaba. Or the anda bhurji stalls outside Churchgate and Bandra stations. Or Shamiana at the Taj and the JW Marriott coffee shop. Or your television set that offers you over 100 channels of non-stop, 24x7 entertainment. Or the internet on your laptop and iPhone. Yes, Mumbai, in some shape or form, has always been non-stop, which is why Suketu Mehta famously named it "Maximum City". Mumbaikars have always been insomniacs whether in the confines of their homes or out in the restaurants and pubs of the city. Let's face the reality. While 70 per cent (or less) of Mumbai does actually catch its forty winks between 10pm to 6am-ish, I think it would be safe to say that 30 per cent (or more) does stay up all night. Time has come to make it official.

The choice to stay up or sleep is absolutely yours. No one is forcing you to live an insomniac's life or lifestyle. However, we are living in the 21st century and today Mumbai is a city that shines bright on the world map. It attracts thousands of tourists each year which translates to a lot of revenue for the city and state. Why not develop that avenue for revenue even at that late ("unearthly" for the skeptic) hour?

Mumbai has been my home since birth. My father Nana Chudasama set up the NGO I Love Mumbai, dedicated to making Mumbai a better place to live in. From plant distribution to working in the slums, Mumbai has always given me the opportunity to help it. Which is why I am all for creating the 24x7 zones in the city after proper research and development.

We have to carefully study at all factors and possible problems before changing the laws but a 24x7 Mumbai is possible and will be good for the city and state economy. Even retail outlets, chemists, gyms and other ancillary industries stand to benefit.

There are a lot of real hurdles and teething problems to overcome before Mumbai will truly be 24x7 and as I said before we will not see the bill tabled anytime soon in Parliament. Mumbai is not an easy city to negotiate. Mr Maria has given his nod for the proposal and the state departments are studying every aspect of it. While it doesn't mean that people will be out on the town in droves each night, it does mean all arms of the city's law and order and emergency services need to be properly equipped and ready to tackle any "situation".

Women's security must be a top priority. Remember the 2008 New Year eve's groping/molestation incident outside the JW Marriott? Or the New Year eve's groping/molestation incident at the Gateway of India exactly a year prior? Of course, rape and molestation happens even in broad daylight.

Drugs and drunken driving are other major problems, not to mention rowdy behaviour and brawls. All these will require more energy from the police force which has its fair share of manpower issues.

Unlike many of its international sister cities it has always been compared to, Mumbai is not divided as commercial and residential - they overlap. Advanced Locality Management (ALMs) and resident associations will have to be consulted especially if commercial establishments in residential areas want to stay open all night (which in all likelihood they might not).

Already, certain commercial pockets of Mumbai such as Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Ballard Estate, Colaba Causeway, the Lower Parel mills and some malls are being considered as all-night entertainment zones. However, here too are issues such as licensing (single-window clearance proposal), traffic control and corruption. Other problems such as pricing need to be examined. Not all Mumbaikars can afford to pay through their noses for entertainment. What happens to those who cannot afford these "entertainment zones"? In that case, will the cops allow the Juhu and Girgaum chowpatty beaches, Marine Drive, Apollo Bunder and Carter road promenades to be all-night zones as well? What would this mean for the law and order situation at these places?

Further, even though the Hotel and Restaurant Association (H&RA) and the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR) are the driving force behind this move, they will have to consider investing more into their businesses to cater to clientele all night. Will they get the returns for their added expenses? Labour laws too will have to be looked into. Cleanliness is another major issue - how can we forget the mosquitoes?

How will all this change life for Mumbaikars? Like I said, it's a personal choice to stay up all night and party. Just because people are given a licence to do so does not mean they will after all, we've got work the next morning! If we map it out correctly, no harm done. History has shown that in an atmosphere of abundance and less prohibition, there tends to be happiness all around.

I asked a friend living in Bangalore what she thought about Mumbai having 24x7 eateries and pubs and she loved the idea. "Wow, how cool," she said in glee, adding that it won't happen in Bangalore even though they have been trying to relax timings and laws for five to seven years now. In Bangalore, 11.30pm is the cut off to serve alcohol in pubs and restaurants and the cops come down heavily on drunk drivers. Ironically, haven't we seen Mumbai lose out on many international music gigs to Bangalore because of its terrible licence raj?! While we aspire to be like New York, Shanghai or Singapore, maybe it's the mindset that has stopped us from actually becoming like our sister cities. Time to change our thinking then, yes? Just, don't let the sun go down on Mumbai, no matter what!