Mumbai Is Now Officially the City That Never Sleeps: Restaurants, Malls & Shops Open 24x7

Giddy up, Mumbai! Come January 27, Mumbai will go 24x7 as city malls and shops and restaurants across the city that fall under the so-called ‘gated communities’ category, will be permitted to operate all 24 hours a day.

Entertainment and food plazas within gated communities, that is, places with CCTV surveillance, parking facilities, and facilities to ensure the safety of the people, have been given permissions.

The decision was passed on Thursday in a meeting called by Maharashtra Tourism Minister, Aaditya Thackeray. The meeting was also attended by representatives of local shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants.

Thackeray has had the idea of Mumbai 24/7 simmering within him for a little while now in order to make Mumbai night-life more happening and cater to a population that is known for hustling hard. In a recent interview, Thackeray had said, “We are a city that doesn’t sleep, and works hard. We need time to chill.”

This move is also especially pertinent in the light of improved employment opportunities, tourism, and revenue, amongst others. A very large percentage of Mumbai population (approx.5 lakh) is engaged in the service industry. This move will definitely mean an increase in that.

It is to note that keeping their shops and malls open 24x7 would be on the owners’ discretion. The owners will also be able to decide if they would rather like to designate specific days to keep their establishments open round-the-clock. However, alcohol will not be served post-1.30 am, in accordance with the existing regulations.

So far, at least 25 malls and some restaurants and shops have been granted permission. Some of the malls that are on board for the round-the-clock implementation are Oberoi Mall in Goregaon, Atria Mall in Worli, R-City Mall in Ghatkopar, Phoenix Market City in Kurla, High Street Phoenix in Lower Parel, and Growel’s 101 in Kandivali.

Featured illustration by Nidhi Iyer for Homegrown.

If you enjoyed this we suggest you read

Delivering Delicious Food Till Dawn In Mumbai

The Slow But Steady Rise Of Women In India’s Nightlife Industry

The Glory Days Of Mumbai’s Favourite Nightclub, Fire N’ Ice