Mid-day takes a tour of popular malls to check Mumbai nightlife

A number of malls were closed at night

'The city that never sleeps' tag for Mumbai came into effect recently after Mumbai 24X7 nightlife policy came into effect, in which shops, theatres and eateries located inmalls in non-residential and mill areas can remain open round the clock.

However, the policy that came into effect from January 27 failed to create the buzz that was expected as mall owners in the city decided to keep their establishments shut . Government officials are optimistic and feel that the footfall will increase during weekends.

Pheonix Marketcity, Kurla. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

While Phoenix Market City, a mall located in Kurla West decided to keep its door open, Fun Republic in Andheri, Atria mall in Worli, Oberoi mall in Goregaon and Growell 101 mall in Kandivli decided to remain shut.

Atria mall decided to stay shut. Pic/Ashish Raje

R-city mall in Ghatkopar was also shut.

Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

In upscale Nariman Point and Worli areas, several shopping malls remained closed during the night though this is being blamed on lack of awareness about the new regime. However, Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray, seen as the prime mover behind the Mumbai 24x7 initiative, sounded optimistic.

Pic/Nimesh Dave

Pic/Nimesh Dave

"It would gather pace in the coming weeks when people will start realising that it is safe for them to come out late night and enjoy," he told reporters late Sunday night when asked about several shopping malls remaining shut.

He said a huge response to the move on the very first night was anyway not expected. Mumbai nightlife is going to be a permanent arrangement and not an event for a couple of days or weekends, said Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

As per the policy, keeping shops, malls and eateries open in the night is optional and not mandatory. Explaining the rationale behind the need of such a policy, Aaditya Thackeray had said on Wednesday that Mumbai is a "24x7 functional city" where people who work in night shifts
and tourists in transit need to have access to food in late hours.

Bars, permit rooms and pubs are currently excluded from the purview of the policy.

(with inputs from agencies)

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