How safe is Kolkata’s nightlife?
A woman alleging molestation at a premium city nightclub inside a five-star property has brought this question to the fore, with many others recalling incidents that exposed the lack of safety at clubs.
A week after the incident made headlines, the ripples were evident at some nightclubs. But many others — mostly those in and around Salt Lake — chose to remain casual about security.
Park Street: Higher security, thorough ID checks at Golden Park & Celica Park
At Golden Park on Ho Chi Minh Sarani, which houses multiple party venues including LITT Experience, Makati, Wafira and Jannaat, security was visibly beefed up.
On the night of Halloween, Friday, 31 October, Wafira and Makati had barricades at entry and three bouncers each, including a female bouncer. One8 Commune in the same building had rigorous checks at the door. IDs were checked, and two to three bouncers and a club manager were present at the entrance.
The next day, Saturday, 1 November, security was further strengthened. About 10 security personnel on the main road and another 20 security staff outside different clubs kept a close watch on the crowd. For a complex that has often been called unsafe by regulars this was a marked tightening of the system.
Golden Park has for years been accused by many of letting in crowds that are not always screened properly. But the scene at the venue on 31 October and 1 November told a different story — the club authorities were now more serious about security and cautious of potential troublemakers.
Celica Park on Park Street, which also houses multiple bars and clubs, appeared to be running a cleaner drill. At M Bar Kitchen & Cocktails on the ground floor, three bouncers, including a female security staff, kept a tab on the crowd. Everyone entering was asked for an ID.
In the parking bay outside, a group of friends formed a protective circle around a woman who appeared inebriated. Nobody disturbed them. Nobody tried to record them. The atmosphere was controlled quite effortlessly.
What was missing though was a police patrol. On both Friday and Saturday, there was no police patrolling around these clubs. Security was entirely private.
Salt Lake Sector V: Free entry, no ID checks
The scene at Salt Lake was different on the night of 1 November. At Levels there was no ID check outside. There was barely any security check — but the staff members made sure they checked if guests carried cigarettes with them. Inside, there were three male bouncers and a female bouncer deployed near the DJ stage. Alcohol was served without ID checks.
At the Globsyn Crystal Building that houses The Spirits, The Cult, The Purgattory and Refinery 091, entry was mostly free. Only bags were being checked at Refinery 091. There were no ID checks at any of these outlets. Footfall here was lower than Park Street, which perhaps explains the laxity.
The Spirits, which draws a largely corporate crowd, had a couple of bouncers inside. The other outlets had mixed crowds and almost no screening. Anyone could walk in.
The verdict
In central Kolkata, especially at Golden Park on Ho Chi Minh Sarani and at Celica Park, there is now an attempt to provide a safer space for party-goers with female bouncers, ID verification and higher security. In Salt Lake Sector V, however, the approach is still relaxed.
A week after nightclub safety became a talking point across the city, the standards are still not uniform.
