Party hard, but sensibly on Wednesday

A variety of spirits occupy Harsh Desai’s (name changed) makeshift bar at his Marve weekend house.

A variety of spirits occupy Harsh Desai’s (name changed) makeshift bar at his Marve weekend house.

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In addition to the exotic cuisine and blasting music, the 32-year-old chartered accountant has also hired specialised cabs to drop his guests home. “Teetotallers are banned at the party,” said the Vile Parle resident, adding the cabs will ensure that they can party hard.

Desai is not the only one doing it.

Many party animals are playing it safe so that they don’t end up on the wrong side of the law. Party Hard Drivers, a company that provides trained chauffeurs for partygoers, has already got 15 bookings for New Year’s Eve. “We are expecting more calls on the morning of December 31,” said Jay Garodia, marketing manager of the company that has tied up with the Mumbai police to discourage drink driving.

For New Year’s the company is charging Rs 1,500 for a five-hour, shift — triple the cost the service on any other day.
But despite that, it is still in demand.

Fleet taxi operators like Meru, which operates 1,700 air-conditioned cabs in Mumbai, have put in first-aid kits in case of accidents or emergencies. In case passengers forget their belongings in the car, the company has a ‘lost and find’ tracking system in place.

Meanwhile, the Excise Department has warned revellers against buying alcohol from shops without a permit or licence.
M. Varde, superintendent, State Excise Department (City), said: “If people buy alcohol from illegal outlets, they can be jailed for six months and/or fined Rs 5,000.” Sellers can be imprisoned and/or fined Rs 500 to Rs 10,000.

The department plans to conduct checks to ensure that the rules are followed. Violations can be reported on the department’s helpline (22664801).