Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the Mumbai 24x7 project should be introduced selectively and on an experimental basis, just four days after his son and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray announced the project.

This was the first time the chief minister expressed his views on the project after it was annouced, a Times of India report read. "It would not be advisable to implement the nightlife proposal across the state, since each city has an independent culture. In my opinion, we can experiment it in Mumbai on a selective basis. I did not like the word 'nightlife'," Uddhav was quoted as saying in the report.

He was addressing the bi-annual crime conference of IPS officers. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, home minister Anil Deshmukh, minister of state Satej Patil, chief secretary Ajoy Mehta, addtional chief secretary Sanjay Kumar and director general of police Subodh Jaiswal were also present at the event, the report said.

Thackeray said at the start of the project, malls, restaurants and hotels may be permitted to remain open for 24 hours in selected areas. "Once we grant permission, we can access the situation, evaluate the impact and address the grievances," he added.

Senior IPS officers said that establishments stay open 24x7 in major cities across the world. "All people do not go to five-star hotels for dinner, many prefer malls or small hotels for affordable food," an officer was quoted in the report.

On January 16, Aaditya had met BMC chief, police chief and mall and hotel associations and it was decided the project would be rolled out on pilot basis in non-residential areas from January 27. Home minister Anil Deshmukh of the NCP had opposed the plan but changed his mind the next da7y. Deskhmum was quoted in the report as saying, "The department will consider nightlife initiative only if it would be able to facilitate tourists, and would be for limited areas like malls and mill compound, not for the entire city."

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