Thaneites demand 24x7 restaurants

THANE: Thaneites have given a thumbs up to the suggestion put forth by Aditya Thackeray to keep restaurants in Mumbai open 24x7.
Most locals here said the Sena's generation next leader should extend the idea to eateries in the lake city as well.
A majority of Thane's working class is employed in Mumbai and returns home late at night only to find the eateries closed.
The common complaint of the residents here is that they have to either drive to the outskirts at Ghodbunder Road for a decent meal or bite into something available at roadside stalls.
"Most of the Thaneites travel back home from Mumbai late and look out for a place to relax and dine. However, the restaurants down shutters between 10 pm and 12 pm and its painful to drive around in search of a restaurant", said Vivek Joshi, a consultant.
Youngsters employed with BPOs here said their staple diet was the oily vada-pav or chinese food available at stalls near their offices at Wagle Estate as most of the city restaurants shut early.
"If the eating houses and malls are kept open longer, we will definitely be among the regulars there. Our shift timings are odd and when we walk out of work late at night we can go and spend time at a restaurant or shop at one of the malls if they are kept open after midnight," said Reuben, who is employed with a US-based firm.
A political activist from the Yuva Sena said the initiative for 24x7 eateries was welcome in Thane, but the party leaders should first hold dialogues with the hotel owners and seek first-hand information as to how many would be willing to employ additional staff for the second shift.
"Quite a few politicians own restaurants here. They would be more than happy to keep their place working all through the night but the employees right too needs to be protected or else it would be only exploitation of the needy," a Sena functionary told TOI.