KOCHI: Finally, steps have been initiated to promote nightlife in Kochi. The Kochi Corporation and the Kerala Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce (KMCC) will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to make the nightlife concept a reality by sprucing up the Ernakulam Broadway.
With the MoU in effect, the deadline to close the shops along the stretch will be extended from 11 pm to 1 am. The civic body will also implement elaborate plans to beautify the Broadway with lights, footpaths, parking space, food outlets and entertainment programmes. Five-star restaurants and branded shops would be set up and they will remain open till 1 am. In short, Broadway will tune in to another culture.
But the question is, how far is the city equipped to host a new night culture in its heart? Though the city witnessed nightlife during the time of the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival, the lukewarm response was a setback.
“The opening of shops and restaurants during nighttime will be possible only if shopping takes place. Otherwise, we would have to face the same loss that we incurred during the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival. The expenses for keeping businesses open during nighttime is also heavy as we have to spend more on salary and electricity charges. We are not against nightlife, if it flourishes,” said Kerala Restaurants’ Association president Jose Mohan.
The lack of adequate transportation facilities during nighttime poses the major hurdle for the plan. Private bus services through the route end by around 9 pm and water transport is available only up to 9.30 pm. For those who don’t have their own vehicle, the only option is to depend on autorickshaws or cabs. But how many people will rush to the spot in the face of these difficulties?
“We can’t even think of arranging night service as it is too difficult to get employees at night. In reality, 90 per cent of the people who go out for shopping have their own vehicle, so arranging bus services to Broadway during the night will not be feasible. Even the Thirukochi service that KSRTC started received a lukewarm response,” said Sathyan, secretary, Bus Operators’ Association.
Meanwhile, the mall culture that has popped up in the city is also a hindrance to the nightlife plan. It is mainly professionals who spend their nights at the malls watching a film or engaging in shopping. “We support nightlife in Kochi, but wonder how successful it would be. The IT guys, who are mostly residing in Kakkanad area, will not think of spending their nights at Broadway. The main obstacle is the distance to the spot and the second, the lack of transport facility. Only mass shopping arrangements can attract people to the area, otherwise the plan may not bring about much change. Already, Fort Kochi is having the same culture, but local people rarely visit the hotels and restaurants there,” said Anoop TP, an IT professional working at Infopark.
When contacted, V A Mohammed Ashraf, president, Kerala Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce, said that they have full faith in the new nightlife plan.
