PMC acts against pubs at Balewadi high street, issue 12 notices

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) staff with the help of six bulldozers pulled down unauthorised structures at Balewadi high street and cleared 20,000 square foot of encroachment, civic officials said on Saturday. The civic body also served notices to 12 pubs and restaurants.

The civic body conducted an anti-encroachment drive on Friday working along with the building permission department on six eateries and pubs in Balewadi.

“We have served notices to 12 pubs and restaurants for illegal use of rooftop terraces and side margins as part of their restaurants. We demolished some small hotels which were illegally built and razed the side margin build ups of pubs like Madaari, Circuit House, while some roof top restaurants like 24K Kraft Brewzz, immediately ceased serving on the roof top and cleared their furniture,” said Gangaprasad Dindme, from Balewadi office of anti-encroachment and building permission.

Dindme said that encroachment in Balewadi is more than any other area in the city. Most of these pubs are using the allotted parking within their service area thus creating problems by asking their guests to park on the road.

“There will be yet another drive next week on the remaining pubs and restaurant who have illegally increased their space and using rooftop terraces,” added Dindme.

Balewadi high street has become a bane for residents with the opening of as many as 70 pubs and restaurants n the past two years. This has added to traffic and parking woes.

According to residents, the increase in the number of pubs and bars has happened in a brisk way in the past two years. “Pubs and restaurants crop overnight and weekends are the worst. Although Baner road is a no parking zone, but no one follows rules, and the same applies to Balewadi, where, even half the footpath is used for parking cars. There is no space to walk and with Metro work, it is even more dangerous to walk on the road,” said Ramesh Rokade, chairman Balewadi residents’ societies welfare federation.

Another resident Ashok Nawal said, “The administration must continue the anti-encroachment drive.

What dominates this area now. is loud music, indiscipline traffic, and parking, We residents are harassed and cannot go for walks due to the traffic scenario.”