Mumbai: BMC allows home delivery of food on December 31 night post 11 PM

Photo used for representational purpose

Mumbaikars planning house party on New Year's eve can now get food delivered at home late in the night. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) allowed the restaurants and hotels to continue with home delivery even after 11 pm.

The civic body made the announcement on Thursday. Though food delivery will be available, the restaurants and hotels will shut for customers by 11 pm on New Year's eve.

On Thursday, the BMC tweeted, "Don't Stop The Party, Mumbai - Just Take It Indoors After 11:00! Restaurants are allowed to home deliver food in the city post 11:00 pm. COVID-prevention norms will have to be followed to ensure Mumbai rings in the new year with safety."

BMC Commissioner I.S. Chahal said citizens can continue the New Year's eve celebrations provided they do it indoors after 11 pm in view of the COVID-19 night curfew (11 pm - 6 am) in force till January 5.

Chahal said that the Covid prevention norms will have to be followed to ensure Mumbai rings in the New Year 2021 with safety.

The fresh set of rules came exactly a week after the BMC had banned all celebrations after 11 pm, including on building terraces, disappointing many prospective revellers across the city.

Even the hotel industry had resigned to the norms by announcing that they would herald the New Year 2021 coinciding with Thailand time at 11 pm.

In anticipation of their first major outing, lakhs of Mumbaikars had made bookings in hotels, resorts at hill stations, beaches, farmhouses, jungle, and other tourist destinations.

Since the New Year festivities coincide with a long weekend, people have gone out of the way to make it memorable after over nine months of pandemic restrictions.

(With inputs from agency)