Hyderabad:
New Year is exactly a week away and this New Year's eve may be an entirely different ball game. The city's police force, which was taken for granted by most party goers, has now turned the tables to ensure that the New Year celebrations remain a low-key affair and party goers stick to rules.
And most affected by the recent crackdown against drunken driving and drug abuse, are youngsters of the city who are finding it hard to adapt to the sudden change.
"I'm out of the city for New Year. Hyderabad has become too strict.
What's the point of not getting to drive around at midnight when the clock strikes 12, just because we are a little high on alcohol?" complains Aditya, a young banker who's heading to Bangalore, along with his gang of friends.
His tribe may yet have to grow up to responsible drinking, but luckily not all is lost.
Many youth have decided to play it safe, preferring to stay at home and party with friends, rather than spend New Year in a cell.
"A few of my friends and I have planned a house party. We plan to drive around the city and usher in the New Year. Only after we return from the drive do we plan to drink. For us, this time its Drive and then Drink. Not the other way round," says Anirudh, a 21-year-old.
"There's awareness among the youth about the dangers of drunken driving and many are being responsible about it. It's a good thing to notice that many partygoers are not risking other people's lives. For those who still want to party hard, there's always the option of nearby cities," added Arun, a 20-something professor of Communication Studies at St Francis College for Women.
And true to the point, many youngsters are heading for safer pastures, with Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa being the preferred destinations. But party venues in the city do not feel the migration will cause a major dent in fortunes.
Madhu, PR executive of The Park Hotels said inquiries were going on full strong and confirmed bookings could be expected only a couple of days prior to New Year.
"We have strongly carried forward the message of discouraging our customers from drinking and driving. We request them to either stay over at the hotel or bring a driver along or avail our cab services. With various parties being planned for New Year, we expect the celebrations to be safe and a success like the previous years, despite the police intensifying the patrol," she explains.
And intensifying, the police sure are.
The Law and Order division of the Hyderabad police plans to tighten its vigil near all pubs, lounges and other flyovers where drunken driving and wild reveling might cause worry.
"The time limit that we have imposed is 1 a.m. After that anyone seen making noise on the streets or engaging in over-the- top celebrations will be made to return home or face action," said Srikanth Chiruvolu, DCP (Law & Order), North Zone.
"Patrolling will also be intensified around churches and temples to ensure the religious are not troubled," he added.
His team plans to mark regions such as the Secunderabad station, Bowenpally and Begumpet. "Last year around 50-60 cases were booked against offenders on New Year's eve. This year, we are hopeful the numbers will be even less." The West Zone, which houses many of the city's pubs in the posh Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, SR Nagar and Mehdipatnam areas, is high on the radar for another purpose.
"Our officers will be in plain clothes at various points to ensure people party safe.
We will take strict action against any clubs involving in obscene dance parties, rave or psychedelic trance parties. We know that many people plan to leave town for New Year due to our restrictions. We do not intend to be party- poppers, but partying has to be safe and clean," said DCP Stephen Ravindra of the West Zone.
Even DCP Y Gangadhar of the East Zone, who oversees Koti, Malakpet and Kachiguda, disclosed that rash driving will be strictly dealt with and it would be better to employ a driver for the night or just sleep at the venue after the party instead of riding back home.
And for those looking to enjoy the emptiness of the Necklace Road or NTR Marg on New Year's eve, there's more bad news.
"Vehicular traffic will be banned at night through both roads," said CV Anand, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
Better safe than sorry, seems to be the unanimous advice of the city's law protectors. Hyderabadis have no option but to take it, or leave it. With one more week to go for New Year, there's plenty of time to decide though.