Sad: Nightlife still missing in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 28: After a long debate, government agreed to extend deadline of nightlife in Bengaluru over weekend. The deadline was extended from 11:30 pm to 1:00 am.

However, youth in the tech city is yet to enjoy the nightlife fully as majority of pubs and bars are still maintaining the old timings.

Currently, just 10 per cent of total 1,349 pubs and bars in the city are taking advantage of extended deadline and most of them are in central business area in Koramangala and Indiranagar.

The night life extension was implemented on March 2014. According to the new rules, retail shops can be open till 10:30 pm and pubs can be open till 1:00 am.[Police permit nightlife till 1 am in Bangalore]

Unfortunately, despite the deadline extension, most of the pubs and bars in the city shut down at 11:30 pm.

SR Umashankar, Excise commissioner, said, "Many pubs and bars choose to remain shut because there is no business in late night."

Bars and pubs, who choose to remain shut at 11:30 pm, claimed that they face losses if they work even after 11:30 pm.

Logistic charges, such as salary of staffs and other expenses such as electricity during extended hours add to their woes. [Bangaloreans can party till 1am on new year's eve]

According to Ashish Kothare, head of Bengaluru Chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India, said, "deadline extension may not increases the revenue of the city but it adds to maturity and growth of the city."

The main idea behind extended nightlife in the city is to fulfill the demands of people.

Simultaneously, extension of the deadline gives opportunity not only to the pubs and bars. It also helps others such as auto rickshaw drivers and cab drivers to earn a little extra.

OneIndia News