Police arrangements, entry checks and crowd flow continued as scheduled
Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s New Year’s Eve celebrations went ahead largely as planned despite a nationwide gig workers protest, with the impact remaining limited, localised and mostly visible in delivery delays rather than any breakdown of nightlife or mobility in the city.
Across major party hubs such as Gachibowli, Nanakramguda, Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills and central Secunderabad, clubs operated normally, and there were no reports of protests near nightlife zones.
Police arrangements, entry checks and crowd flow continued as scheduled. What changed for many residents was not where they went, but how cautiously they planned the night once news of the protest filtered through.
Food and quick commerce deliveries were not halted, but customers in far-off residential areas reported longer wait times, order reassignments and occasional cancellations. “The app kept searching for a rider for almost 25 minutes. When the order finally came, the delivery person asked for a small extra amount,” said Kavita Reddy, a resident of Bachupally.
Similar accounts came from the city’s outskirts, while central areas reported fewer or no issues.
Customers also noticed delivery partners arriving without company uniforms or delivery bags. “I noticed that executives who delivered at our home from two different services on New Year’s Eve arrived in plain clothes and not in their branding,” said Radha Ravi Kiran, an IT employee. Many said this probably meant that some workers chose to stay active informally even as others stayed offline in solidarity with the protest called by the Gig and Platform Workers Union.
Angeleena, returning to her home in Charminar from her church in Ramkote, said this has been a problem on most New Years Eves, but the surge and delay were unexpectedly high this year.
Several partygoers said they learnt about the protest only later in the evening and adjusted plans accordingly. Instead of moving between multiple venues, groups chose to stay longer at a single club. “Everything was functioning, albeit a bit slower. We didn’t want to risk hopping and getting stuck without food or transport later,” said Mahima E, who partied at a venue in Nanakramguda.
Getting back home was also not severely affected. Those staying nearby preferred walking short distances or hiring autos, which remained easily available through the night. At a few bus stops and arterial roads, some reported seeing private cab operators offering rides at slightly higher but still nominal rates. “We charged a little extra because we thought app cabs would be fewer, but nothing unreasonable,” said one private cab driver.
Club managers said footfalls remained strong, though some noted that movement between venues was slightly lower. “People arrived earlier and stayed put. There was no panic or disruption, just fewer transitions,” said a manager at a Banjara Hills club.
