 "nightlife")
It’s not quite 1 am in Hauz Khas Village, a corner of South Delhi known for its busy restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Already, the boom of the bass is dying down, as bartenders put away glasses in neat rows, and guards usher stragglers towards the cab and auto ranks. Across the sprawling national capital, from the north campus of Delhi University to downtown Connaught Place and Aerocity, the story is the same: On paper, Delhi has just been allowed to party all night. On the ground, however the capital still prefers to hit the sack early.
Delhi’s tryst with nightlife began in October 2020 when the state government first proposed allowing restaurants to operate round the clock. Two years later, the Lieutenant Governor approved 314 establishments — including hotels and eateries — to operate 24×7 under the Shops and Establishments Act. In December 2022, restaurants and bars in four- and five-star hotels were formally allowed round-the-clock operations, while smaller hotels could stay open till 2 am.
The new licensing regime took effect on January 26, 2023. By late 2024, Delhi had extended 24-hour permissions to restaurants in Aerocity, abutting domestic and international airports. This year, three-star hotels were added to the list and discussions were underway to let shops and markets operate through the night across the national capital.
Adding flavour to this new after-hours landscape, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on September 3 gave in-principle approval to a Night Food Bazaar at Connaught Place and India Gate, where 50-60 food trucks are expected to line the lawns between 10.30 pm and 1 am, dishing out snacks and live performances under the glow of streetlights.
According to NDMC Vice-Chair Kuljeet Singh Chahal, the food trucks would operate from 10.30 pm to 1 am daily (initially), and aim to create “safe and vibrant spaces” for citizens and tourists. Departments such as Delhi Police, Traffic, and Art & Culture are expected to coordinate safety, traffic management, and cultural programming during operating hours. The NDMC said the project was part of a package of 16 “civic and cultural upgrades” worth over ₹310 crore.
In step, the Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has rolled out a series of reforms to make the city’s licensing regime more business-friendly. The government recently scrapped the need for a Delhi Police no-objection certificate (NOC) for several categories of businesses, including restaurants and hotels.
Gupta has also introduced a landmark policy change amending the Shops and Establishments Act to allow women to work night shifts (24x7) in shops, restaurants, and commercial establishments for the first time in Delhi. With women being key to a booming services sector, the new rule mandates safe transport, CCTV coverage, and the presence of women security staff during night hours.
“This is a significant step towards making Delhi a 24x7 business hub,” Gupta said while announcing the reform, adding that the decision would not only boost women at work but also improve ease of doing business in the capital.
In August this year, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena gave his assent to the proposal, recommending that employers prioritise public transport, enforce prevention of sexual harassment (POSH) Act panels, and create awareness among traders.
“This decision isn’t just about extending hours — it’s about extending opportunity,” Gupta said. “Allowing women to work 24x7 will make Delhi’s economy more inclusive, its workplaces safer, and its nights more vibrant. A true global city doesn’t sleep, and neither should its potential.”
As of now, few establishments have women staff on night shift. “We provide drop-offs to our female staff. It’s an extra cost, but necessary,” said the manager of a popular grub pub in Hauz Khas Village. Most outlets avoid putting female staff on night shifts altogether. “It’s too risky, and families don’t agree,” admitted the manager of a brewery.
For most establishments, the 24x7 promise remains distant. “We’ve only heard about this ‘24x7 order’ in the news,” said the grub pub manager cited above. “No official circular has reached us yet.”
Peak hours run from 9 pm to 1 am for outlets in Hauz Khas, during which they earn 50-70 per cent of their daily revenue. “The daytime crowd (until 6 pm) consists mostly of college students, and they don’t spend much. After that, at night (10 pm-1 am), we get families, couples, and working professionals who together contribute almost 70 per cent to our revenue. There are rumours circulating about the extension of opening time to 4 am, and if that happens, our earnings will increase,” said Yogesh Sharma, manager at The Red Frog Club at Hauz Khas Village.
“Extending hours could bring in more revenue, but it also raises costs. Our team already does two shifts and an extension could mean bringing in extra staff, security, (sending on) electricity,” said the manager of another bar and restaurant.
Red tape
Regulatory hurdles also bite. “Even if we want to operate late, it isn’t possible without clear excise licences,” Sharma said. Others complained of nightly “police pressure”. “The police patrols are frequent but only until 1 am. After that, the officials are strict about closing. Beyond 1 am, they say it will be difficult to manage security. Without clarity from the excise department and support from the police, 24x7 is only on paper,” said the grub pub manager.
Girjashanker Vohra, owner of Depot48, one of the city’s leading live music venues, said: “Honestly, this particular circular doesn’t change things much for us, at least not yet. Depot48 isn’t located in Aerocity (it’s in Greater Kailash-2), and the policy as it stands primarily benefits establishments within that specific hospitality district. For standalone venues like ours, the current provision allows us to operate till 1 am, which has been the case for a while now.”
That said, he added, the idea of extending operational hours citywide not just for luxury zones/five-star hotels etc would be a game-changer. “We are a live music venue, and most shows begin after 9:30 pm, once people have finished work and navigated Delhi’s traffic. By the time the performance hits its stride, it’s already close to closing hours. Longer operational flexibility would allow us to build safer, more deliberate programming without rushing experiences,” he said.
He also said that licensing remained the single biggest barrier to growth. “While the government has simplified a few permissions, a venue like Depot48 still needs to navigate multiple agencies — MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), Excise, Fire, Labour — each with its own processes and interpretations. We’ve hosted over 4,700 performances in 11 years, which means 450-500 events a year. Even minor delays or noise complaints can disrupt programming because enforcement varies by jurisdiction.”
Women’s safety
The lack of safety, a long-running Delhi problem, is probably the biggest deterrent to the city’s nightlife aspirations. “It’s not very safe, to be honest. If I’m with a group of people, it’s fine. But it’s still not safe,” said a female Delhi University student in North Campus. A male student added: “Another problem is drunken and shady crowds on the roads after midnight. There are brawls, rash driving, fights breaking out. It just doesn’t feel safe.”
Vohra noted: “Safety has to be non-negotiable, not reactive. We’ve built our systems around that principle.” Depot48 has longstanding partnerships with trusted cab aggregators for women staff and guests. “Our closing routines ensure no woman, staff or patron leaves the premises alone if they prefer company or assistance.”
Aerocity should be the one neighbourhood that never sleeps. The airport district was granted ‘quaternary’ licences — a special category created by the Delhi government to permit round-the-clock food and beverage service.
In practice, most outlets close by 1 am, with only a couple of clubs pushing 4 am on weekends.
“Seventy per cent of our business is dinner crowds, and that wraps up by midnight or 1 am,” said a brewery manager in Aerocity. “After that, footfall just collapses. Extending hours would mean higher costs without much gain.”
Night economy
According to industry estimates, Delhi’s nightlife economy could generate between ₹50,000 crore and ₹80,000 crore annually, if fully realised — 5–7 per cent of the city-state’s projected gross state domestic product. Experts say unlocking that potential will require not just licensing reforms but also investments in transport, safety, and cultural infrastructure.
A KPMG India assessment of urban night economies (2023) noted that Delhi’s after-dark sector remained “episodic and event-driven”, unlike global cities that thrive on predictability, safety, and consistent late-night policy enforcement.
Vohra said: “Delhi has the bones of a great 24×7 city – incredible food culture, strong transport infrastructure, and a creative community that’s second to none. What it needs is coherence. The city’s cultural energy is undeniable; what’s missing is alignment between policy, policing, and public perception.”
On a recent visit, Aerocity’s wide boulevards still gleamed under the glow of hotel façades at midnight, but the buzz was fading fast. The last cabs idled outside the gates, waiting for airport passengers, while staff rolled down the shutters of cafés. Inside the few clubs still open, the bass thumped on — but if you stepped outside, the streets were near empty.
For now, Delhi’s nightlife exists in bursts, not round the clock, as it awaits the implementation of measures aimed at promoting ease of doing business and making its nights safe.
Midnight ramblers
A rundown on nightlife in key metros
Mumbai
Mumbai became a 24×7 city under the “24 Taas” policy launched in January 2020, allowing malls, shops, and eateries to operate round the clock. However, bars and pubs have to shut at 1:30 am. The city's night economy contributes close to ₹15,000 crore annually, according to data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Maharashtra Tourism Department, with districts like Bandra and Lower Parel operating until 3 am
Bengaluru
Bengaluru’s nightlife, once bound by an 11 pm curfew, is now allowed to run till 1 am under a 2024 Karnataka excise department pilot. In March this year, the state's deputy chief minister and the minister in charge of Bengaluru, D K Shivakumar, announced a proposal for allowing standalone pubs to remain open until 1 am — just like other licensed establishments. If implemented, the move is expected to boost the city’s nightlife and increase government revenue in the country’s tech capital that is known for its pubs
Kolkata
Kolkata’s nightlife boom now grapples with rising safety concerns as media reports highlight incidents of assault, harassment, and brawls. Locals report chaotic crowds, abusive staff, security lapses in pubs, and a sense that law and order frays after dark. Authorities issued 83 closure notices to rooftop and late-night venues over licensing and safety lapses in March this year. Despite a reported 12 per cent rise in nightlife business, lack of accountability, and weak enforcement are testing the city’s motto of “night as culture”
Chennai
Chennai offers a wide variety of options: A peaceful stroll on Marina Beach, which, at 6 km, is the second-longest urban beach in the world; the night sights of Fort St George; and, the latest trend, ‘night biryanis’ available till 3 am. According to one estimate, there are 56 pubs and over 300 food courts in the city. This is in addition to countless 24-hour restaurants
(With inputs from Shine Jacob)
