Exactly a month ago, a 17-year-old boy rammed the Porsche Taycan car he was driving at an alleged speed of 160kmph into a bike at 2.30am in Kalyaninagar, killing two young techies on their way home. In the aftermath, various authorities — from the police to the civic body and state excise department — have cracked down to curb underage drinking and drunk driving cases.
The situation in Kalyaninagar has improved a great deal according to residents, but those living in other areas like Baner, Balewadi, Bavdhan, Vimanagar, Hinjewadi and Dhayari — where eateries and bars abound as well — have a different story to tell.
“What happened was unfortunate and it’s great that there is fear of committing offences in the locality where the tragedy took place — but what about the rest of the city? I live in a Peth area and often see rules being broken by motorists. There has been bandobast, but there are ways to avoid these. People either pay their way out of it or use bylanes to reach their destination without being caught,” said Mayur Kulkarni, a city-based businessman.
A week after the incident, TOI had reported that not a single police check post was observed from Bopodi to Kalyaninagar via Bhandarkar Road around midnight. The only nakabandi along this 35km-plus journey was at Koregaon Park. Multiple citizens had similar experiences to share.
A media professional, on the condition of anonymity, said, “I visited a friend’s house in Aundh recently and had to go home to Bibvewadi after a party. For the fear of being caught, I didn’t drink liquor. However, on my way home, I did not encounter a single check-post and neither did my friends who travelled to Hinjewadi, Chinchwad and Senapati Bapat Road. If there is going to be no vigilance, how do the police aim to curb drinking and driving?”
The landscape of the city’s nightlife, has altered after the incident — but citizens alleged that these changes are limited to some other areas. Many also said tippling in the open is still rampant elsewhere, asserting that police action has only stopped minors from going to pubs, while not addressing the maincause of the rise in cases of drink-and-drive across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
A resident of Balewadi Ameya Jagtap told TOI, “A quick walk around Balewadi and Baner, especially at Mamta Chowk near the under-construction Metro, shows just how openly people drink. They buy alcohol from a nearby wine shop and get glasses and snacks from there, too. The Metro barricades are fashioned into tables. All these people drive or ride home.”
He added, “The fact that no one checks this is astonishing. If we common citizens can see this, why can’t the police? While there is police patrolling, they avoid bylanes and focus on main roads. Throughout the week, people can be seen sitting on pavements or in cars and drinking.”
In Dhayari, much like Balewadi, residents pointed to open drinking outside wine shops. Sachin Jadhav, who lives in the locality, said no one stops these tipplers despite police patrolling. “Beat mar- shals pass by on their bikes during patrols but say nothing. It is almost like the drinkers have their support. Many sit outside shops and drink from morning to night. The excise department and PMC also need to take action. Walking on this stretch at night is a risky affair,” said Jadhav.
In Bavdhan as well, residents claim open drinking has been an issue for many months, “Bavdhan is big and there is only so much the police can do. Authorities need to figure out how to instil fear. The new Chandni Chowk bridge has also become an open party spot. Heavy fines and even jail time could change the way people think. When one option shuts, people just find different avenues to do what they want,” said resident Deepa Prabhu.
The situation in Kalyaninagar has improved a great deal according to residents, but those living in other areas like Baner, Balewadi, Bavdhan, Vimanagar, Hinjewadi and Dhayari — where eateries and bars abound as well — have a different story to tell.
“What happened was unfortunate and it’s great that there is fear of committing offences in the locality where the tragedy took place — but what about the rest of the city? I live in a Peth area and often see rules being broken by motorists. There has been bandobast, but there are ways to avoid these. People either pay their way out of it or use bylanes to reach their destination without being caught,” said Mayur Kulkarni, a city-based businessman.
A week after the incident, TOI had reported that not a single police check post was observed from Bopodi to Kalyaninagar via Bhandarkar Road around midnight. The only nakabandi along this 35km-plus journey was at Koregaon Park. Multiple citizens had similar experiences to share.
A media professional, on the condition of anonymity, said, “I visited a friend’s house in Aundh recently and had to go home to Bibvewadi after a party. For the fear of being caught, I didn’t drink liquor. However, on my way home, I did not encounter a single check-post and neither did my friends who travelled to Hinjewadi, Chinchwad and Senapati Bapat Road. If there is going to be no vigilance, how do the police aim to curb drinking and driving?”
The landscape of the city’s nightlife, has altered after the incident — but citizens alleged that these changes are limited to some other areas. Many also said tippling in the open is still rampant elsewhere, asserting that police action has only stopped minors from going to pubs, while not addressing the maincause of the rise in cases of drink-and-drive across Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
A resident of Balewadi Ameya Jagtap told TOI, “A quick walk around Balewadi and Baner, especially at Mamta Chowk near the under-construction Metro, shows just how openly people drink. They buy alcohol from a nearby wine shop and get glasses and snacks from there, too. The Metro barricades are fashioned into tables. All these people drive or ride home.”
He added, “The fact that no one checks this is astonishing. If we common citizens can see this, why can’t the police? While there is police patrolling, they avoid bylanes and focus on main roads. Throughout the week, people can be seen sitting on pavements or in cars and drinking.”
In Dhayari, much like Balewadi, residents pointed to open drinking outside wine shops. Sachin Jadhav, who lives in the locality, said no one stops these tipplers despite police patrolling. “Beat mar- shals pass by on their bikes during patrols but say nothing. It is almost like the drinkers have their support. Many sit outside shops and drink from morning to night. The excise department and PMC also need to take action. Walking on this stretch at night is a risky affair,” said Jadhav.
In Bavdhan as well, residents claim open drinking has been an issue for many months, “Bavdhan is big and there is only so much the police can do. Authorities need to figure out how to instil fear. The new Chandni Chowk bridge has also become an open party spot. Heavy fines and even jail time could change the way people think. When one option shuts, people just find different avenues to do what they want,” said resident Deepa Prabhu.