A committee constituted by Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh has issued notices to 26 illegal rooftop hotels and bars over the past month due to their failure to comply with norms. These establishments, primarily situated in Keshvnagar, Lohegaon, Kharadi, Baner, Balewadi, Koregaon Park, and Mundhwa areas, have come under scrutiny.
Earlier this year, Vikram Kumar, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner, urged the district collector to revoke the liquor licenses of these unauthorised rooftop hotels. He proposed that obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the municipal corporation should be mandatory for opening bars and hotels. Consequently, Deshmukh formed a committee that issued notices to 26 such establishments between October 20 and November 16.
PMC has been actively combating the issue of illegal rooftop hotels and bars over the past year. However, a persistent challenge arises as these businesses tend to resume operations shortly after PMC's interventions. Over the last year, PMC has taken action against a total of 90 rooftop hotels in the city. Despite these actions, the pattern persists as the affected hotels often resume operations within a few days after the PMC's initial intervention.
Further concerns have surfaced regarding accountability in case of incidents or mishaps at rooftop hotels. Since the significant fire incident at a rooftop restaurant in Baner on June 9 last year, the PMC's building permission department has been vigilant and proactive.
