Pune: Residents Protest Against Return Of Illegal Rooftop Restaurants And Bars In Kalyani Nagar; Anger Reignites Over Safety, Violations and Failed Promises
Pune: Residents Protest Against Return Of Illegal Rooftop Restaurants And Bars In Kalyani Nagar; Anger Reignites Over Safety, Violations and Failed Promises
Pune, December 3, 2025 — Public anger over Pune’s nightlife regulation resurfaced on Tuesday evening as residents from Kalyani Nagar, Viman Nagar, Koregaon Park and Wadgaonsheri staged a protest outside Toit Restaurant — the site of a recent drunk-driving incident. The demonstration, organised by the Pune City District Congress Committee (Wadgaonsheri Assembly Block), drew around 30 residents who stood at Gold Adlabs Chowk from 4 pm to 6 pm, demanding accountability from authorities.
Residents said the administration’s promises after the Porsche crash have collapsed. Despite assurances of strict action, illegal rooftops, encroachments and unregulated bars have allegedly returned with renewed impunity. “After the Porsche tragedy, Pune was promised safety. Instead, it has received silence,” protesters said.
Residents described the earlier crackdown as a “mirage”. Authorities had announced sweeping measures — sealing illegal rooftops, clarifying zoning rules and promising better oversight. But within months, many previously sealed rooftop bars reportedly resumed operations with new licences or cosmetic paperwork. Locals accused officials of ignoring liquor served in encroached areas, granting permissions in residential buildings, and allowing severe traffic and parking violations that endanger daily movement, including ambulances and fire tenders.
Advocate Nanasaheb Nalawade of Kalyani Nagar said, “The promises made after the Porsche crash have evaporated. We live with fear outside our own homes, while governance looks away.”
Residents termed the city’s nightlife boom a “safety crisis”, citing loud music, valet queues, drunk driving risks and disruption of residential peace. Harshad Jadhav of Sainagri added, “The system wakes up only till the cameras leave. How many families must suffer before authorities take responsibility?”
According to Sachin Bhosale, Vice President of the Wadgaonsheri Assembly Block, repeated accidents and administrative indifference triggered the latest protest. Parents are especially concerned, as the recent accident occurred close to a school.
Residents listed several key violations: illegal rooftop bars without fire clearances, licences issued to bars in residential buildings, nonexistent parking despite documentation, encroachment of public spaces, previously sealed pubs reopening, alcohol served in illegal open areas, and repeated violations of UDCPR norms.
Their demands include strict separation of residential and commercial zones, banning rooftop liquor establishments in neighbourhoods, issuing licences only after real parking verification, and ensuring accountability for officials and violators.
As the protest ended, one question echoed through the crowd — “How many more tragedies before authorities act?” Residents say they will no longer remain silent, insisting that Pune can no longer afford administrative complacency.
