The government is set to extend the deadline for bars and pubs till from 11.30 p.m. to 1 a.m. on all days of the week. While tipplers are cheering, residents of Indiranagar and Koramangala are opposing the move. Both residential neighbourhoods have a high concentration of restaurants and pubs.
Sneha Nandihal of the Indiranagar Residents’ Welfare Association said that even with the current deadline of 11.30 p.m. on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends, they face many problems.
Noise from revellers, traffic jams every night, and petty crime have become the norm.
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“The issue is so severe that some of us have got our bedrooms soundproofed. It is unfair that we are expected to bear this nuisance every day,” she said, adding that the 1 a.m. deadline will only exacerbate the situation.
Residents of Koramangala, which is known for cafes and pubs, have voiced similar concerns. Nithin Sheshadri of the Koramangala RWA said that the deadline extension should be limited to eateries and liquor outlets in the Central Business District. “The government should take a more nuanced view. We will oppose the move as this will only worsen our situation,” he said.
Members of both RWAs say that many of the outlets operating in their neighbourhoods are illegal, lack trade licences, and have come up in violation of the BDA zoning regulations. Earlier in July, 14 RWAs across Bengaluru got together to oppose commercialisation of their localities.
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