No Liquor Post 1:30am, Indoor Music Given Nod Till Late: What's Open & Shut in Pune

Pune residents may now have to anticipate their late-night hunger pangs and place meal order before 1am as Pune police have extended Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the city until March 31.

Earlier, the curfew-like orders were imposed in Pune till March 4. However, a revised order was passed on Monday, according to which no orders of food and liquor are to be taken after 1:15 am.

The old directive stated that no orders are to be taken after 1:00 am. But now, the updated order gives 30 minutes of grace time to restaurant employees to vacate their establishment. Thus, food orders can now be taken till 1:15am.

A report in Hindustan Times quoted police as saying that a meeting had been conducted between all stakeholders with police on February 28 and the authorities had considered all suggestions and objections from them and accordingly a revised order was passed on Monday.

On Monday late evening, Pune police issued a notification of 26 guidelines for a safe and secure environment and to maintain peace across the city, the report stated.

Police Guidelines for Pune Bars and Restaurants

• All bars and permit rooms should strictly adhere to the closing time limit of 1:30 am.

• All indoor music performance limits should be 1:30 am.

• Outdoor music performance limits should be 10:00 pm.

Ganesh Shetty, president of the Pune Restaurants and Hoteliers Association (PRAHA), was quoted as saying that they have told the police that some cops are forcing restaurant owners to shut by 11:30 pm. They should at least allow us to run business by 1:30 am, he added.

Shetty also said that they have also requested police to not intervene in liquor-related cases. As per the government GR, such cases are to be handled by the state excise department.

According to the HT report, police officials said that they have instructed all police stations in charge not to be involved in any activity which hampers the business of restaurant owners by forcing them to shut by 11:30 pm. As per the law, they can operate until 1:30 am.

Police also confirmed that as far as liquor cases are concerned, police will not intervene till issues of law-and-order issue arise. Orders related to all these instructions are to be released soon, the report concluded.