Restaurateurs across Maha feel pressure of demolition drives, strict scrutiny

PUNE: Restaurateurs are mum about the stringent crackdown on pubs and bars in the wake of the May 19 Porsche car crash in Kalyaninagar. Many confessed off the record that they were helpless because of being given no prior notice before demolition or sealing of their establishments.
Local govt authorities across the state, meanwhile, have been galvanized into action to penalize illegal constructions and lack of documentation.Their drive follows allegations of the minor accused in the May 19 case being served alcohol at two pubs before the accident.
In Pune city areas like Kalyaninagar, Mundhwa, Pune railway station, Koregaon Park, etc. — where many commercial establishments have a footprint — the civic body claims to have demolished unauthorised constructions at 59 food joints in the last couple of days. Their drive has been more or less sustained since the accident.
Restaurant owners who faced action so far are disturbed. One such owner in Vimannagar told TOI on condition of anonymity, “We were not given any prior notice by officials. We don’t know what to do at this point.” Another owner in Kalyaninagar said, “No notice was given to us either. Had we known earlier, we could have submitted a counterclaim. However, before we knew it, demolition machines were at our door — our roof and boundary wall were broken leading to major damages.”
Advocate Ajinkya Udane, the co-chapter head of Pune for the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), said, “It is important for Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to give restaurant owners sufficient time to take down alleged illegal constructions and get into a dialogue before demolition.”
With the monsoon around the corner, many restaurant owners are also hustling to get compliance in place for temporary shelters. A restaurateur in Kalyaninagar said, “We will apply for all requisite permissions for temporary shelters before setting them up.”
PMC executive engineer Rohidas Gavhane refuted, “They (owners) were previously informed. Some violated side-margin or front-margin norms and some set up unauthorised structures. While some demolitions were at new places, most of the action was taken on repeat offenders.”
Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) had also last week demolished three illegal rooftop restaurants in Wakad.
The excise department is on high alert too. A senior excise dept official told TOI, “Action has been taken against nearly 57 bars and pubs in the last few days on the Pune district collector’s orders in areas like Kalyaninagar, Baner, Pimple Saudagar, Vimannagar and Hinjewadi. They have been sealed indefinitely and were found violating norms, like operating beyond deadline and serving liquor without drinking permits or outside the premises. At least three served liquor to minors. A list of sealed establishments has been sent to PMC and PCMC. Action is likely to continue; illegal dhabas and shacks will also be checked.”
Over in Nashik, the state excise department’s local unit seized liquor from two rooftop hotels for selling it without licenses in the last couple of days. The department has submitted a report to the Nashik district collector. Sources told TOI that after this drive, seven or eight more rooftop hotels in the city also halted operations.
“We will take further action after directives from the collector,” said a senior excise official, adding, “We are also ensuring that underage individuals are not served liquor in shops and bars. We have served notices to over 800 liquor shops and bars in the district.”
The notice further states that liquor should not even be served to people aged 25 or above without drinking permits. There are 84 liquor shops and 714 permit rooms in Nashik district.
Meanwhile, Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) is taking similar steps. Civic chief commissioner Ashok Karanjkar told TOI, “After the incident in Pune, we too will launch a drive against illegal rooftop hotels here shortly.”
Nashik collector Jalaj Sharma said, “Excise laws about sale and consumption of liquor are clear, and we will tolerate no violations. We will take action against offenders as per the state norms.”
Bar owners in Mumbai claimed on Wednesday that tight scrutiny has begun to disrupt legitimate businesses. They alleged harassment at the hands of local officials and said they have been asked to furnish documents in no way related to law and order or excise. They claimed some of the raids have begun to affect patronage and sales.
A delegation from Ahar, an association of over 20,000 bars and restaurants across Mumbai region, called on the Mumbai joint police commissioner (law and order) to flag their concerns.
(Inputs from Neha Madaan & Chittaranjan Tembhekar)