)
Good news can come from the most unexpected quarters – Shiv Sena scion Aaditya Thackeray’s proposal to keep Mumbai rocking all night long is one such. Even better news was to follow for this city’s hedonistic residents: the state government, led by those fine upholders of morality -- the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena -- has approved and will make the necessary amendments to the Shops and Establishments Act and Police Act in either the budget or monsoon sessions of the state legislature.
Don’t get me wrong – this is the probably the best thing that could happen for Mumbai’s local economy. The proposal entails keeping eateries, cafes, malls, theatres, chemists and milk shops open all night in non-residential areas – what this means that the opportunities for consumer spending will be multiplied manifold, not to mention revenue for the city from these establishments.
There are few better examples of a city’s rejuvenation than New York, which transformed itself into a rollicking destination for residents and tourists by reducing crime and encouraging small businesses. In the process, it also established itself as a big business-friendly city, eventually becoming home to some of the world’s best known corporate, financial and media groups.
There are other examples, too, among them London, Singapore and more recently, Dubai that have transformed themselves into magnets for businesses, recognising that the big money will come only when a city can provide a safe and healthy quality of life with plenty of entertainment options. More recently, Bengaluru, known as much for its 'pub culture' as its techies, overhauled an antediluvian law that shut down eateries and pubs at 11 p.m. to allow them to stay open till 1 a.m.
Mumbaikars love comparing their city to New York, even adopting the ridiculous moniker of SoBo. But can one of India’s premier cities repeat the success of its global counterparts?
It’s early days yet, and Mr Thackeray would do well to pay heed to what Mumbai’s global peers have done.
Mumbai was once of the great ports of the world – it was geographically placed almost midway between Europe and East Asia.Nothing has changed that lucky geographic positioning and as the winds of economic growth swing eastward, Mumbai is ideally placed to attract the big business houses to set up here in a big way.
The billion-dollar question, though, is whether the city is ready for it.
For starters, Mr Thackeray must upgrade the public transport systems to global standards. The sorry excuse for a metro-rail that Mumbai has trotted out will just not cut it. The local trains – the so-called lifeline of the city – are nothing short of a death trap, with 10-12 deaths reported daily. And the less said about the non-A/C BEST buses, the better, especially in the Mumbai summer.
More importantly, if small businesses such as eateries and pubs are to stay open all night, public transport, too, must follow suit. Currently, bus and train services stop at 1 a.m., leaving night owls dependent on private or commercial transport to return home or to the morning-after after-party. This will be critical since the proposed legislation envisages all-night hours to be applicable only in non-residential areas.
More importantly, if small businesses such as eateries and pubs are to stay open all night, public transport, too, must follow suit. Currently, bus and train services stop at 1 a.m., leaving night owls dependent on private or commercial transport to return home or to the morning-after after-party. This will be critical since the proposed legislation envisages all-night hours to be applicable only in non-residential areas.
He must also clean up Mumbai’s streets – literally. It is going to be of no use keeping establishments open all night if getting back home is going to be a preview of the Martian landscape.
Two, he must break the unholy nexus of builders, cops and politicians. Businesses, small or big, will go where real estate is reasonably priced – it is one of the highest costs for both households and companies, and beyond a point, simply unaffordable. That is already happening in Mumbai, and Mr Thackeray should realise that the city stands to make more revenue from business and consumer spending than from shady kickbacks from the builder lobby.
Safety issues also must be addressed: you cannot have all-night businesses without better policing. Currently, Mumbai has a police-population ratio of 1:400 (one constable for every 400 residents). While that number is better than some other megacities, even globally, the quality of our policing leaves much to be desired, especially when it comes to women's safety which will be a major issue if Mumbai's nightlife hours are extended, as will be drunk driving.
Safety issues also must be addressed: you cannot have all-night businesses without better policing. Currently, Mumbai has a police-population ratio of 1:400 (one constable for every 400 residents). While that number is better than some other megacities, even globally, the quality of our policing leaves much to be desired, especially when it comes to women's safety which will be a major issue if Mumbai's nightlife hours are extended, as will be drunk driving.
And most importantly, he has to provide clean governance. None of his plans will come to pass if businesses will continue to be harassed every step of the way, from the licence inspector to the utilities providers to the taxman to the cops who will extort them on a weekly basis, and most important, his own party workers, who have a tendency to go into paroxysms of rage every time they see someone else having more fun than they do, or can.
