Bars, pubs in Mumbai can be open till 5am on Jan 1 with prior police nod, says official

Hotels, bars and pubs in Mumbai can remain open till 5am on January 1 for New Year celebrations with prior permission from local police stations, a senior official said Saturday. Deputy Commissioner of Police Manjunath Singe told PTI that an order issued by the Maharashtra government's Excise department has allowed restaurants, bars, hotels and pubs in Mumbai to remain open till 1.30am on January 1.

"However, they will be allowed to remain open till 5am if they have prior permission from their local police stations," Singe, who is also the Mumbai police's spokesperson, said. The city police's order comes days after Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asking him to let legal establishments remain open 24X7 in metro cities.

On December 27, Aaditya had written to Fadnavis, demanding that Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune and other such cities should be open all night for "all legal activities of entertainment and celebration", especially in non-residential areas, on New Years eve.