Bar timings relaxed for revellers

New Year revellers have a reason to cheer this year. The City police have relaxed the closing hours for bars, pubs and restaurants by an hour on December 31. The closing hours have been extended till 1 am.

The City Police Commissioner B G Jyothiprakash Mirji on Saturday issued a general no objections for all the bars and restaurants situated in the City to keep them open from 12 midnight of December 31, 2012 upto 1 am on January 1, 2013.

The relaxation also applies to all restaurants that do not serve liquor. However, pubs and bars that serve liquor have to apply to the State Excise Department and get specific permission to stay open during the additional hours on December 31, police sources say.

While traffic regulations will be in force in many areas in and around the MG Road, revellers, especially those living in the Eastern parts, need not worry about getting back to their home.

Metro service

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has said that the Namma Metro train services along the Reach 1 (MG Road to Baiyappanahalli) will operate upto 2 am on the New Year Day.

“The extension of the service is to facilitate the party crowd, which will be in large numbers on MG Road and Brigade Road on the New Year eve,” said a senior official from the BMRCL. The Metro train services usually end at 10 pm every day.

Besides, the Metro train service will be extended till midnight on December 24 and 25 in view of Christmas eve celebrations and T20 cricket match between India and Pakistan, respectively, said the BMRCL.