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Mumbai Heat
Christmas, New Year to be low-key affair
Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service

Mumbai, December 24
With Mumbai yet to erase the memories of last month’s terrorist attacks in the city, Christmas and New Year celebrations are all set to be subdued with a thick security blanket across India’s financial capital.

Churches across Mumbai scheduled the Christmas-eve masses to 8 pm with proceedings timed to end at 10 pm in view of the Supreme Court’s restrictions on noise pollution. Across Mumbai, the police patrolling is on with officials declaring that revelers will not be allowed to loiter on the streets after 12.30 am.

Across public places in Mumbai, fireworks have been banned for the first time, the police said. “We are not taking any chances and security has been tightened across the city,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishwas Nangre-Patil said.

Parts of South Mumbai like the Gateway of India, Colaba Causeway and Land’s End in Bandra will have strong police presence during Christmas and New Year, according to the police.

According to Patil movement of people near the Gateway of India has been restricted for Christmas and New Year since the monument is on the hit list of terrorists. Hundreds of people gather every year at the Gateway to celebrate these occasions. However, the monument’s proximity to the Taj Mahal Hotel has caused security to be tightened.

The police has installed closed-circuit televisions and sandbagged enclosures while the armed police has taken up positions in the area.

Already private clubs and hotels have cancelled celebrations keeping in mind the solemnity of the occasion.

Colaba’s Radio Club, which hosts the popular Christmas and New Year bashes on the pier has cancelled the parties this year.

Organisations like the Royal Western India Turf Club, the Catholic Gymkhana and the Bandra Gymkhana have cancelled their traditional Christmas and New Year dances this year.

Across the city, residents will be opting for low-key celebrations on their building terraces. For the first time this year, the Mumbai police has banned parties aboard boats off the Gateway of India. Even the night cruises to Elephanta off the city have been stopped as a security measure.

Many organisations said they had lost members and close associates in the terror attacks at the Taj and Oberoi Hotels.

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