India, Oct. 4 -- When Bhavika, 27, returns from work late at night, she doesn't walk straight to her building. Instead, she phones her brother and asks him to meet her at the gate. "This is how unsafe it has become," she said.

Bhavika is battling the fallout of having four pubs in her neighbourhood - on Fourth and Fifth Roads in Khar (west). The loud music, drunken brawls, parking and traffic chaos, and potential lack of safety for women residents has grown so unbearable that around 150 local residents protested on Saturday night.

However, as they attempted to march at 9.30pm, their protest was shut down by the police, who said they lacked permission. Residents moved their protest to New Creation Apartments, where they met with Santosh ...