Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray has given a new spin to the term SEZ. His proposal to make Mumbai truly the Maximum City and open up select non-residential areas for a vibrant nightlife has been welcomed widely in Mumbai, especially by the young. He wants business districts such as Kala Ghoda, Nariman Point and the Marine Drive promenade in South Mumbai, and the Bandra Kurla Complex and the Carter Road promenade in the western suburbs to come alive at night. Flame-throwers, jugglers, live music without speakers, and open-air cafes on Queen’s Necklace are alluring sights for the young. The proposal now includes the conversion of malls and mill-malls, a phenomenon unique to Mumbai, into Special Entertainment Zones (SEZ). The malls have private security, and large parking spaces that can accommodate heavy footfalls. Clearly, the idea has the potential to boost the night economy of Mumbai, generating mass employment, opening up a new stream of revenue for hoteliers, big malls deprived of footfalls till the weekend and even night taxi-drivers. The government can rake in much-needed revenues as tourism would inevitably get a shot in the arm.
Devendra Fadnavis, one of the youngest to become Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, has accepted in principle the idea of creating designated night zones which can be open 24 x 7. But, this idea requires deeper debate on whether the city’s already stretched infrastructure can seamlessly absorb the additional burden — of adequate security arrangements, especially for the safety of women, increased means of public transportation, enhanced street lighting and additional power, traffic chaos, and the prospect of noise pollution. To make this a demonstrable reality, two laws that govern Mumbai need to be amended — the Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, 1948, which mandates that employees at eateries should not work after 12.30 a.m., and the Bombay Police Act, 1951, which provides for establishments to be shut by 1.30 a.m. With the budget session of the Maharashtra legislature days away, these amendments could be passed during the monsoon session in July-August. However, it is natural for a city, scarred by five major terror attacks since 1993, a series of shocking drunk driving cases (523 on New Year’s-eve 2015), brutal gang rapes at dusk, and incidents of molestations in crowded venues, to approach this issue gingerly and cautiously. Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria’s clearance to the proposal has boosted the chances of the idea turning into a reality. The challenge for the City that Never Sleeps is to ensure that the dream of a Maximum City with high energy levels is a fulfilling prospect for its citizens.
