Right for night
CHENNAI: Why should nightlife always mean clubbing and drinking? Chennai can start a new trend. We can have 24x7 movie screenings and more midnight eateries. Small food joints that serve old Madras classics late at night would also be an inviting treat. Night walks and tours around the city would be interesting too. One main aspect we can improve on is public transport facilities in the night. Then, people will find it easy to commute; it is one major obstacle that gets in the way. More night markets for shopping on a budget are also most welcome. Candice Violet Rodrigues, teacher
No one would ever refuse good groovy international music and great ambience at a pool or a beach shore. Better liquor options would help to keep the party going till the wee hours. We should be encouraging DJs all around the globe to get the namma Chennai crowd to shake a leg for their EDMs and rave options. This will even pave the way for upcoming DJs to experiment with their music.Sakhi Ahamed, project manager at a publishing house
The nightlife that Chennai already has should be supported by necessary safety measures. Start with the basics — functional streetlights on every road, not just the main roads. Even for guys, these roads are not safe. We ride faster through the dark stretches and pray to get home safe. People should not be scared of stepping out in the night for a movie or a drink. We need better patrolling too. Manikandan R, entrepreneur
While Chennai can do so much better in the nightlife scene, I think it’s important to keep the core of its vibe intact. I believe that Chennai has the best of both worlds — it is very culturally rooted and has a hint of nightlife as well. If Chennai became just like Mumbai, it wouldn’t be the same anymore. The Chennai identity should be celebrated in its present nightlife — we should definitely have more Kollywood-themed nights to start with, karaoke is something that’s also not very widespread in Chennai. Places that cater to specific niches or fandoms seem to do well in other cities and it may be exciting to see that in Chennai as well. Anagha Natraj, management professional
It’d be convenient if there’s an improvement in government transport services during the night as well. Since there has been a surge in people working night shifts, it would encourage them to avail of those services. Working traffic lights with traffic cops in selected areas would help too. Most traffic lights go on blinking-mode after 11 pm. Installing street lights and reducing the number of dark spot areas in the city is vital. Saravanan Vijay R, former marketing professional
Chennai is a city where anyone can find a speed that suits them. From those who like to chill at home to those who want to rage at night, I find my hometown versatile enough to suit all tastes. However, ever since I went to Mumbai, I realised how much having an active nightlife can be amazing for a city and its people. Chennai can really start by opening some cafés around areas like Besant Nagar a little later into the night, having 24-hour grocery stores and creating public spaces that are regulated but still open to people hanging out at till late at night.
Kavya Sreekumar, student
Encouraging restaurants and popular clubs in Chennai to be open past midnight would be the first step in creating a better nightlife. It will have a positive chain reaction on the concerns that restrict us from stepping out late — like cabs would become cheaper and the roads wouldn’t be deserted. Even if you’re not looking to have a drink, you can grab a bite to eat and it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary.Ferdina Innocent, marketing professional
One of the biggest charms of the city to me is that we are very chilled out and we know how to give ourselves time off and rest. Just because other cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru or New Delhi have traffic 24×7, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s an energy-draining and resource-depleting decision to keep malls and restaurants open at all times. Chennai is a coastal city and it’s important we are mindful of our coastal ecosystem. If we have lights and sounds on at all times, it affects the turtles and sea life. From a conservation front, it is not a wise decision. The existing nightlife here is quite healthy, the city is safe and we should stick to that. Anahata Sundarmurthy, collections manager, Ashvita’s
One of the biggest charms of the city to me is that we are very chilled out and we know how to give ourselves time off and rest. Just because other cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru or New Delhi have traffic 24×7, it doesn’t mean anything. It’s an energy-draining and resource-depleting decision to keep malls and restaurants open at all times. Chennai is a coastal city and it’s important we are mindful of our coastal ecosystem. If we have lights and sounds on at all times, it affects the turtles and sea life. From a conservation front, it is not a wise decision. The existing nightlife here is quite healthy, the city is safe and we should stick to that. Anahata Sundarmurthy, collections manager, Ashvita’s
Encouraging more establishments to take up the 24x7 option would work to establish women’s safety too. I am extremely stressed about driving around the city after 11 pm. The silence scares me. I cannot count on help if there were some issues, say the car breaking down. If more shops/restaurants stay open in the night, then more people will use it and the roads won’t be empty anymore. Besides, I work till 9 pm on most days and can hardly find time to do my errands or even have a nice meal out. Having the option to go get things done at any time of the day might make my life easier!
Bhavana Balakrishnan, designer
Having lived in both Mumbai and Chennai, it is a fact that Mumbai’s nightlife is far better than Chennai’s. Nightlife is not just about partying, clubbing and alcohol. In Mumbai, I have gone for casual strolls at 2.30 am for that ice-cream craving. While opening up malls and restaurants 24x7 is a great way to go about it, a more vibrant and syncretic nightlife could be made possible by enabling and allowing small businesses, especially smaller food outlets, to be open in the night. This should happen in tandem with relevant safety measures including deployment of patrols. This way, Chennai’s heartwarming morning life can be translated to nightlife as well. Harish Krishna, research associate
Chennai has always been conservative as far as nightlife is concerned. To start with, we need to have more cafes/shacks by the beach to beat the mostly warm weather of Chennai. The city is known for its love for movies. So add this up with 24x7 malls and restaurants catering to the typical Tamil Nadu tastebuds and it would definitely be welcomed by its young working crowd. Nothing is more fun than doing an impromptu movie or late-night indulgence after a long day at work.Arjuun Sethuraman, IT Professional
The TN government has already passed an order to allow restaurants to function 24x7. Even if restaurants open up, there’s a limited market for nightlife. There are bars that are open late at night too and quite a few restaurants have started staying open till 3 am but because the demand is limited, the market is still nascent. Abhishek Chandrasekharan, entrepreneur
Inputs by: Kannalmozhi Kabilan, Naaz Ghani, Roshne Balasubramanian, Shwetha Surendran, Vaishali Vijaykumar