The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took swift action on Tuesday by demolishing an "unauthorised" structure inside the Liquid Leisure Lounge (L3) bar, located on Fergusson College Road. This action follows a crackdown ordered by the Maharashtra government against buildings violating norms in the city.
According to a statement from the PMC, a 125 square meter unauthorised structure inside L3 was razed as part of a broader initiative targeting more than 20 establishments, including pubs and eateries, for flouting regulations. The decision to demolish the structure came after it was discovered that internal modifications had been made at L3 in violation of building norms.
PMC has also filed a complaint against Santosh Kamte, the owner of L3 Liquid Leisure Lounge, and Ravi Maheshwari.
Earlier, PMC had served a notice under section 260(1) of the IRTP Act to the owner and operator of L3 Lounge on May 28. The notice required the hotel's owner and operator to declare the hotel operations and PMC permissions to the building permission department within 15 days of the notice being served.
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According to the FIR filed at Shivaji Nagar police station, the reply to the notice was found unsatisfactory by Pune Municipal Corporation. Subsequently, Deputy Engineer Sunil Kadam, Engineer Bipin Shinde from the building permission department, and Chandrakant Kadam from the anti-encroachment department visited the hotel on June 25 at around 2:00 p.m.
As the State Excise Department had already sealed the hotel, PMC authorities invited Sub-Inspector Dhawal Ghodekar from the State Excise Department to be present at L3 Lounge during the action.
During the visit, PMC authorities discovered that an office space had been converted into an unauthorized hotel setting. The owner and operator had placed a hotel counter, tables, chairs, and other furniture in this unauthorized space.
PMC alleges that hotel owner Santosh Kamte and operator Ravi Maheshwari violated PMC guidelines. Consequently, PMC authorities demolished the illegal structure inside the L3 Liquid Leisure Lounge.
Owner Santosh Kamte and operator Ravi Maheshwari have been booked under sections 43, 52(1)(A), 52(1)(B), 52(1)(C), and 52(1)(D) of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966, for illegal use of office space at Hotel Rainbow on FC Road in Pune.
A case has been registered, and further investigation is being carried out by Police Inspector Kailas Danerao of Shivaji Nagar police station.