After Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde issued instructions to initiate strict action against illegal pubs and bulldoze all structures flouting building rules, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Wednesday demolished Eskobar in Baner. According to the PMC officials, the bar was illegally constructed. "We had given prior notification to the owners to shut it down. However, it was found to be operational. And accordingly, action has been taken," an official stated.
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This comes only a day after the civic body demolished a 125 square-meter unauthorised structure inside Liquid Leisure Lounge (L3) bar on Fergusson College Road. The action was undertaken after it came to light that some internal changes were made inside L3 in violation of norms.
L3 has been in the news after a viral video showed youths with some drug-like substances at the facility. According to the police, L3 was operating till 5am on Sunday, and liquor was being sold beyond the permissible time limit. Pubs in Pune are allowed to remain open till 1:30am.
So far, the PMC's building department has taken action against more than 20 establishments, including pubs and restaurants, and demolished unauthorised structures measuring 36,845 square meters.
Only 23 pubs legal in Pune
A recent Right to Information (RTI) query seeking information from the city police on the total number of authorised pubs and discotheques in the city has revealed only 23 pubs and discotheques in the city are authorised. Advocate Sameer Shaikh, a prominent criminal lawyer, had filed the RTI on June 3 seeking the addresses of authorized pubs and discotheques in the city and the names of their owners. He received the information on June 25.
