Two people are killed in a Porsche car in Pune: “A tragedy is bound to happen, an accident is a result of the extended opening hours of pubs,” say residents of Kalyani Nagar | Pune News

On Sunday evening, residents of Kalyani Nagar organized a candlelight vigil in memory of the deceased.

Aditya Patil, a resident of Kalyani Nagar, said the accident was a direct result of the “bar culture” that had become a nuisance in the area.

“Prior to the pandemic, pubs and other commercial establishments adhered to reasonable opening hours, but given the economic losses they had suffered during the pandemic, it was decided to extend their opening hours. But this has created problems for residents,” he said.

Due to the extended opening hours, the bars are open until 1.30 a.m. After that, most of the drunken revelry takes place on the streets. “They play loud music, shout, honk – they often harass people who come back late from work,” he said.

Patil said had it not been for the pub, Awadhiya and Costa would not have been in the area and may not have met their tragic end.

Residents of neighboring Koregaon Park also spoke about the harassment they face from these establishments.

Rohan Desai, a resident and member of the National Society for Clean Cities, said they had repeatedly raised concerns about it with their local mohalla committee and with the police. “Minor arguments have become very common,” he said.

Desai and Patil both said they had repeatedly discussed the matter with relevant authorities. “While senior officials are cooperative, local guards refuse to take any action,” Patil said. Patil now plans to meet the district collector to find a permanent solution to the problem.