Bengalureans are in for some disappointment since it has been announced that Nandi Hills and the Muthathi River will be closed on New Year's Eve for safety purposes.
This rule has been followed for the past ten years and the Chikkaballapura police said that it will be the case this time too.
The police said that there were many cases of people falling off the cliffs in Nandi Hills or drowning in the river in the nights and sometimes they were intoxicated.
The rule will come into play from 4 pm on December 31.
Chikkaballapura superintendent of police Karthik Reddy said that they asked resorts at Nandi Hills to not accept any reservation around the time, reports The Times of India.
The police have also imposed many rules in the city including banning the consumption of alcohol in public places. Other rules include fining for driving under the influence, violations of liquor licenses by restaurants, bars and pubs.
Another rule for December 31 is that those who want to throw house parties and will have alcohol in the residence, more than the permissible limit will have to obtain a special PL5 permit from the Excise Department.
This drew the ire of many. Rupa Chakravarti, a performer said, "Clarity on the rules is required. Some people follow the BYOB (bring your own booze) format for parties, so what are the rules in such a situation? People will adhere to rules if they are made clear. Having said that, rules need to be relevant and in compliance with contemporary times. The focus should also be on ensuring safety on the streets to maintain law and order, and not just on patrolling people's homes."
However, others differ with this view.
"It is a reasonable restriction and there are certain rules in place for the consumption, distribution and sale of alcohol. But how does one know who is selling alcohol or not, and, more importantly, who is selling it to underage children? So, these restrictions are quite reasonable. Let's not forget that alcohol is combustible and might have more harmful repercussions than just alcoholism. But an initial warning and fine should be given to first-time offenders, just like in drunken driving cases," Anil Shetty, a social entrepreneur told TOI.
