18-05-2025
One Year Later, No Change On Ground: ‘Back to square one': Locals say lounges, pubs in Pune flout rules again
1
2
3
A year after the Porsche Taycan car crash in Kalyaninagar on May 19, 2024, which claimed the lives of two young IT professionals, the initial urgency shown by authorities to regulate the city's nightlife appears to be waning.
Residents of Kalyaninagar, Koregaon Park and Mundhwa say action that followed — hailed at the time as a much-needed cleanup—has not sustained, and offenders are creeping back.
In the immediate aftermath, the
Pune Municipal Corporation
(PMC), state excise department and the police launched enforcement drives. From May to July 2024, over 72 establishments were inspected, 28 pubs served closure notices, and 14 rooftop eateries sealed for safety violations.
Licences of nine establishments were suspended by the excise department for non-compliance. However, citizens' groups said that more than 80% of these businesses resumed operations within three months, often with restored licences and minimal follow-up inspection.
"It was a brief show of force," said Monica S, a Kalyaningar resident. "Encroachments came back within days. Rooftop pubs without fire safety clearances are back in action.
The public was led to believe things would change, but we're back to square one," she said.
Aaditya Patil, another Kalyaninagar resident, said, "There was a noticeable improvement initially — better monitoring, timely closures, and fewer violations. But the discipline didn't last. Today, patrons of eateries serving alcohol spill onto footpaths and roads. Police visibility and citizen pressure have helped control operating hours, but enforcement around licence norms has slipped.
Civic engagement is growing, but it's not enough.
The balance we had briefly is already fraying."
Similarly, Drayson Dixon of Team Swachh Kalyani Nagar said, "Citizens are now more aware and vocal. We've filed over 150 complaints this year regarding noise and operational violations. Despite this, some establishments continue to flout rules, often backed by influence or loopholes. Unless enforcement from PMC and the excise department becomes systemic and unrelenting, we will slip back into pre-crash chaos.
"
Pune police claimed they have consistently cracked down on drunk driving. As per data, 6,523 motorists were booked for driving under the influence between May 2024 and April 2025 — a 40% increase over the previous year. Regular nakabandis in Koregaon Park, Kalyaninagar and Viman Nagar in the six months following the accident helped deter reckless driving, they said.
Residents demurred. Rohan Desai of the Koregaon Park Welfare Association added, "Loud DJ nights, street parking, and alcohol service without proper regulation have resumed. Minor accidents happen almost daily, but there's no deterrence. The lack of accountability is concerning."
