Although 2020 was off to a good start for Mumbai with the announcement of the Mumbai 24x7 initiative, the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the program had to be halted indefinitely.
Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray has now suggested that permissions may soon be provided to restart the initiative, particularly since coronavirus cases have been falling for a few weeks now. It’s also worth mentioning that the city’s six wards haven’t reported any new COVID-19 related deaths since the last week.
However, this alone shouldn’t be enough to reopen services as the administration has to brace with the fact that local train services have only recently resumed and people were seen packed in like sardines during peak hours with no scope for social distancing. However, the government is unlikely to resume 24x7 nightlife until a month or two at the very least.
Also read - BMC To Extend Mumbai 24x7 Project
Thackeray also happens to be the primary figure behind the Mumbai 24x7 plan. “Since the beginning of 'Mission Again Again', we have slowly started everything and nothing had to be closed again, yet. Now, even restaurants have been permitted to remain open till 1 am. Therefore, the nightlife will start soon,” he said.
Read - Alcohol Consumption Dipped Between April-November 2020, Excise Dept Data Shows
Though the 24x7 initiative for Mumbai was attractive, it failed to see a decent response, mostly due to a lack of awareness among the population. Currently, many establishments can operate until 1 AM. The formal arrival of 24x7 nightlife in the near future is expected to offer a boost to such businesses.
Read - Maharashtra: Night Curfew In December 2020 Affected Liquor Sales
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