The next time you step out of a nightclub with your group of girlfriends and realise it’s too late to feel safe, pick up a pepper spray from the counter on your way out. Or, check if the club can arrange for a car drop.

“To make nights out safer for women, we will be stocking pepper sprays for anyone who’d like to buy them and be on the safe side,” said Bunty Sethi, owner of the city’s newest nightclub, 9F, in Fort Knox on Camac Street.

The demand for pepper spray has “skyrocketed” in the past few months. “In between it had dipped but the demand has now increased three-fold. From selling 30 cans a month, now we sell around 100. Everyone from college-goers to housewives and mothers of teenage daughters are asking for it,” said Lynette Bain, distributor of Cobra Chilli Pepper Spray. And yes, she herself carries one in her bag.

A 40ml can with a red nozzle and yellow body costs Rs 499 (MRP) and comes with a small clip that can be clipped on to your jeans.

Self-defence spray apart, nightclubs are taking that extra step — or going that extra mile — to ensure guest safety when they step out late. Shisha on 22 Camac Street offers to drop ladies home if they are making their way back alone. “While all the taxi drivers who wait outside are known to us, we do offer to drop our guests if we feel that it is needed,” said Ritesh Srivastava of Shisha.

Around the corner, at The Astor’s Plush, an eye is kept on those leaving the party. “We have guards posted all over the entrance and ensure that guests have proper conveyance to get back home,” said Soumitra Basu from the Theatre Road nightclub.

If not cars, then radio cabs. 9F is keeping Mega Cabs parked 10pm onwards on peak party nights. “I know the Mega Cab owners and they have agreed to keep a few cabs parked downstairs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.... We want women who party late to feel safe at all times,” said Bunty.

With the fear factor coming into play as the day darkens, dial M for Mega Cabs (41414141) is a growing trend among the late-night crowd. “Between midnight and 4am, which is before the morning airport pick-ups, we have around 30-40 Mega Cabs operating in the city. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen a spurt in demand,” said Surendra Pagaria of Mega Cabs.

Between 10pm and 5am, 20 per cent extra is charged on the total amount, plus Rs 30 as booking charges.

“The cabs are equipped with GPS so we can track the route and if they stop at a particular place for a long time, our call service checks with them at once,” added Pagaria.

The last word belongs to a party regular. “It’s a relief to know that nightclubs are making arrangements for girls like us to get home safely. Whenever I go clubbing with my girlfriends, we try to arrange for a car but it’s not always possible…. A pepper spray in hand or a Mega Cab installed with GPS will help us feel safer,” said Kanika Kumar, 29.