We get curses, not wishes, on New Year’s Eve: cops

Cab drivers say passengers refuse to believe they are stuck in jam (BCCL/Ajay Kumar Gautam)

Most passengers are drunk, and we cannot say no to everyone: cab drivers

Bahut logon ko unka address pata karke ghar pahunchaya hai Dec 31 ki raat ko: Bouncers

We have to politely stop those who’ve had too much to drink: bartenders

As you lock your plans for tonight’s celebration to ring in the New Year, there is another group of people who will be out and about tonight, but not to party. Traffic police officials, bouncers, cab drivers and bartenders are among those who will be out there, being extra careful and vigilant, to make sure you have a safe New Year’s Eve. They tell us about the challenges of being on duty while the whole city parties, keeping people in line, and being accused of being party poopers as a thank you.Tonight, Delhi’s traffic police department will be out in force so that the party doesn’t get out of control. “Leave the worrying to us. People should feel safest on New Year’s Eve because we’re there,” says a traffic constable posted near New Delhi Railway Station. And what about their New Year? When asked this, the traffic cops gave us some insights into how their night will go.A traffic constable who was controlling the crowd near India Gate told us, “On New Year’s Eve, I rarely get any wishes, but people curse me a lot around midnight when I challan them. When on the road, ghar ke baare mein sochne ka waqt hi nahin hota hai. Logon ko rules todne hi hai, joh area band hai wahan aana hai, aur phir humein sunana hai! In last five years, on any festive occasion, Delhi’s traffic has not let me spare a moment for my family while on the road. In fact, around midnight, even if I get a call from home, I can’t attend it, because there is something more urgent happening.”Some of the cops we spoke to said that since they never have the time, their families have stopped including them in their party plans. A traffic constable posted near Hauz Khas said, “There are no expectations or complaints. I have a 14-year-old son and he has made plans for New Year’s Eve with his mother and grandmother. They don’t want to have unrealistic expectations from me, so they made plans but didn’t include me or ask if I was on duty or not. They just assume ki main nahi rahunga, joh ki sach hai.”A traffic constable posted near Khan Market said, “I want to go home and spend some time with my family, but on Dec 31st, our duty begins in the evening. On normal days, we get free by 10-11pm, but on special occasions, we are on the job almost 24x7. Unlike us, our seniors have the option of going home. But on occasions like Diwali or New Year, even they are patrolling.”Cab drivers say passengers refuse to believe they are stuck in jam (BCCL/Ajay Kumar Gautam)If a friend tells you that they were stuck in traffic, you’re likely to believe him/her, but if a cab driver says that to his passengers, they are threatened with ‘hum complaint kar denge’ or ‘tera license cancel karwa dunga’. Kumar Pal Singh, a cab driver, says, “On a day when everyone is partying and welcoming the New Year, we can’t afford to not work because the demand for cabs goes up. Most people tend to book cabs late at night and depend on us to drop them home. But most of those people are also drunk, and we cannot say no to everyone. Last year, I kept talking to the passengers throughout the ride so that they didn’t doze off. I also avoid taking girls who are drunk, unke friends baitha dete hain unhe aur phir unhe koi hosh nahi hota, aur humein drop karna hi padta hai. Tabhi hum avoid karte hain.”Another cab driver, Amar Singh, adds, “Pata chalte hi ki passenger ne pi rakhi hai, mana kar do, faaltu aafat kyun mol lena. The Second biggest problem on December 31 is the traffic. Last year, I was stuck in a jam for hours and when I tried to explain this to the person who had booked the cab, he refused to believe me. December 31 ko Connaught Place pahuchna time se bahut mushkil hai.”Bouncers often drop drunk people home (BCCL/Samik Sen)Bouncers are used to resolving fights at nightclubs, but New Year parties are not just about resolving fights, but also dropping people home. Surender Singh, a senior bouncer working with Denetim Services, has catered to many high-profile celebrities visiting Delhi on December 31 for performances, as well as other VIPs in Delhi, and is often assigned duties at upscale hotels and New Year parties at farmhouses.Ask him about his New Year’s Eve experiences and he has many stories to share. He says, “It was last year that I was on duty with a VIP in Delhi. He went to party with his friends and it was very private. As they were drinking and chatting, he got into an argument with his own friends, aur baat itni badh gayi ki haathapai ho gai. When I tried to stop them, his response was, ‘paise maine diye hain, tumhe toh inhe maarna chahiye!’ I didn’t want to escalate the fight so I somehow convinced him to go home as it was around 3am. Some high-profile business families in Delhi, with whom I have worked in the past, often ask me to accompany girl(s) from their family to a New Year party as their private bouncer; that is the most difficult part. Family trust karti hai isliye bhejti hai, par agar ladki pi le aur kuch chhoti bhi baat ho jaye toh naam hamara kharab hota hai. Managing celebrities when they come at New Year parties is again very difficult as the crowd is completely drunk and they can do anything to get close to a celebrity. Bahut baar log humein pinch karte hain, pen ya tissue phekte hain gusse mein jab hum nahi jaane dete. If you are at a New Year party at a farmhouse or hotel, you don’t have to keep an eye just on the entrance, but each corner of the venue. Two years ago, two girls started fighting with each other over a guy and even started throwing bottles at each other. Hum toh haath bhi nahi laga sakte, female bouncer hoti hain par kai baar unse bhi nahi sambhalti.”Another bouncer, Ajay Sihag, who’ll be on duty at a hotel in Janakpuri tonight, says that on most occasions, after his duty hours are over, he’s dropping drunk guests home till 4 or 5am. “Logon ko drink karne ke baad pata nahi rehta kahan hain, address bhi nahi bata pate. Bahuto ka address pata karke ghar tak pahunchaya hai Dec 31 ko, poori raat khatam ho jati hai. Minor fights toh aam baat hain Dec 31 ko. Shayad hi koi party hoti hai jahan koi bawal na ho,” he says.Stopping people from taking more after they get drunk is not easy, say bartenders (BCCL/Lokesh Kashyap)On New Year’s Eve, every restaurant and nightclub in Delhi is packed. The bartenders working here tell us that they need to be responsible while serving drinks. “Unlike other days, when people spend hours just chilling, on December 31, most are in a rush to get their drinks. While serving drinks, we also have to be responsible and keep an eye out for those who have had too much to drink. If someone is already drunk, we serve them juice or a lemon drink. But we have to be very polite and smile while discouraging them from drinking,” says Aman Dua, the head mixologist at a Delhi restaurant. Another bartender, Manish Chauhan, says, “It is easier to handle women than men. Women will listen to you when you tell them something with a smile. We also have to be patient and calm.”