02 March,2010 09:42 AM IST | | Debarti Palit
Police commissioner unaware restaurants opposite his office operate up to 3 am, flouting 11.30 pm deadline with impunity
So you thought you can't eat at a restaurant after 11.30 pm?
The deadline is being flouted right opposite the police commissioner's office, and the police seem to be blissfully unaware of it.
The deadline for restaurants to close for the day is 11.30 pm. Although restaurateurs had requested the police to extend the deadline to 1.30 am, the police had refused to oblige, citing security reasons.
Eateries housed on the ground floor of the Nucleaus Mall opposite the police commissioner's office at Sadhu Vaswani Chowk conduct business till the wee hours of the morning without much of an impediment. At least three of the 10 eateries housed there operate from 11 am to 3 am; the rest serve food till 1 am.
This MiD DAY reporter dropped in at midnight on a weekday and found three joints teeming with students and working professionals at that hour. The buzz around the place was hushed briefly as a policeman came marching, demanding that lights be switched off and the joints down shutters. Though lights were put out for a while, the waiters seemed unfazed, and reassured customers to stay put and lie low for some time.
A waiter at an eatery told this reporter to continue eating, albeit a bit quickly. "Don't worry madam, we are open till 3 am and nobody will stop us. You can drop in at this place and food will be served till 3 am."
The manager of one of the restaurants flouting the deadline said: "We do roaring business at night as hardly any places are open then."
Commissioner of Police Dr Satyapal Singh said he was unaware of the matter. "It's strange that any restaurant is open past the deadline," said Singh, while assuring action. Told about restaurateurs greasing the palms of policemen, Singh said: "I cannot comment on this. Many have told me about this and I need to probe the matter."
