Issue 7 | 30 Dec. 2006

Have a Hic New Year!

Cheers! Bangaloreans can now have a happy, hic new year. The city police have given the green signal to pubs and bars to be open for one hour beyond the mandatory closing time of 11.30 pm on new year's eve. However, there is a caveat: Only those who have obtained prior permission from the excise department can be kept open. With the people thronging every watering hole in the city, you can be sure that most of the outlets would have applied for the necessary permission.
On the flip side, the job of the city police will become even tougher as more people will be out on the streets, in an inebriated state. Though the pubs will have to officially down their shutters at 12.30 pm, in reality this will get extended to around 1 am - which is also not good news for the pub owners. A few of them have also decided to play safe and remain closed on new year's eve.

Though the closure hours have been extended, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) M.A. Saleem made it clear that "granting permission does not include breaking rules" and said the police will take stringent action against those violating rules.

The Brigade Road has been made one-way for pedestrians only on new year's eve.
Caution: Don't have one for the road, it'll be one too many…