Mumbai's nightlife a "different world altogether": Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief MinisterAjit Pawar on Thursday said Mumbai's nightlife is a ''differentworld altogether'' and is also the need of the hour for themetropolis which is home to a large number of youths andpeople from different strata of the society.

Mumbai's nightlife policy, said to be the brainchildof Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena, cameinto force early last year, offering an opportunity to peopleto shop, dine and explore round-the-clock a city that neversleeps.

Under the policy, malls, multiplexes and shops inMumbai were allowed to function day and night.

Pawar was speaking on the occasion of inauguration of''heritage walk'' of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC) headquarters in south Mumbai.

The initiative involves a guided tour of the iconicBritish-era building.

The event was inaugurated by Chief Minister UddhavThackeray in presence of other dignitaries at the general bodymeeting hall of the heritage building.

''Along with Mumbaikars, not only people from otherstates, but also foreign nationals will visit to see themunicipal building of this leading city of India.

''After seeing it, both they and us will feel proud,''the chief minister said.

''Mumbai's nightlife is a different world altogether,''Pawar said, adding the nightlife policy is being givenimportance since people, especially youths, like this conceptvery much.

Some people might comment against it, but it is anecessity for Mumbai, where people of different groups, castesand religions reside, Pawar said.

Pawar suggested cleaning the city starting from southMumbai by removing illegal structures on roads and footpaths''step by step''.

Notably, during his address Pawar described AadityaThackeray as ''our child'', while taunting, in a lighter note,municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal for not inviting himto see the grand building from inside earlier.

''I have been in the Vidhan Bhavan since 1990 andBalasaheb Thorat (Congress leader and minister) since 1985,but we did not get a chance to visit the BMC headquarters.

''I got this chance because of our child (AadityaThackeray),'' Pawar said.

The heritage walk is a joint initiative of the BMC andMaharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). Under theinitiative, aimed at promoting tourism, curated heritage walkswill be organised on weekends.

The BMC has tied up with an online portal for bookingsfor guided tours of the building.

Addressing the function, Aaditya Thackeray said theheritage walk inauguration was ''fulfillment of a dream'' momentfor him.

He said his department is also planning guided toursof the Wankhede Stadium in South Mumbai, the Bombay High Courtand the Gateway of India.

Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said for the firsttime he got an opportunity to see the BMC headquarters frominside.

Without naming Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, whohad compared Mumbai with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Thoratsaid even those who call the metropolis PoK, can live happilyhere.

The Congress minister criticised the Union governmentover its alleged plan to shift key financial institutions toadjoining Gujarat.

''The world knows the loot of Surat. An attempt isbeing made to loot Mumbai as well, but we won't allow this tohappen,'' Thorat said.

The revenue minister took a dig at opposition leaderDevendra Fadnavis of the BJP, who had expressed concern aboutthe Mumbai Metro 3 line delay, after a ride in Delhi Metro.

He said that Delhi Metro was built during the tenureof the Congress and if he (Fadnavis) didn't put any obstaclesand co-operated, he can catch a flight to Nagpur, hishometown, after traveling to the airport by metro.

According to Chahal, Mumbai is the first municipalcorporation in India to organise such heritage walks.

He said the heritage walk initiative will boost cruisetourism and also give Mumbai an identity as a tourism city.

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