Pune Porsche Case: One Year On, Kalyani Nagar Residents Slam Police Inaction On Open Liquor Sale, Lack Of Drink-Driving Checks (VIDEO)

On May 19, 2024, a minor, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, mowed down two IT professionals - Aneesh Awadhiya and Ashwini Koshta - with his speeding Porsche in Pune's Kalyani Nagar area. After the incident, the cops launched a crackdown on pubs, clubs and bars in the city. However, things seem to have gone back to normal.

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Pune Porsche Case: One Year On, Kalyani Nagar Residents Slam Police Inaction On Open Liquor Sale, Lack Of Drink-Driving Checks#pune #pyunenews #porsche #porschecase #fpj pic.twitter.com/KIkwtf0KeY

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Speaking to The Free Press Journal, as the shocking incident completes a year in a few days, Kalyani Nagar residents slammed the cops for their inaction, stating that liquor is being sold openly and that there isn’t a check on drink-and-drive.

'There was a short-lived crackdown'

Monica S, a resident of Kalyani Nagar, said, “After the tragic Porsche incident, there was a short-lived crackdown on pub encroachments, but it fizzled out within weeks. Shockingly, most encroachments returned almost immediately. What’s worse, parking areas have been illegally converted into dining spaces, and liquor is being served outside designated permit rooms, yet no one is checking. While police still do drink-and-drive checks, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and excise department keep issuing licenses to repeat violators. Rooftop pubs, posing fire hazards, continue operating freely. This blatant disregard for the law and public safety, with no strict or lasting action, is deeply disappointing and highly concerning.”

'Nothing really has been done'

Another resident of Kalyani Nagar, Yasmin Charania, added, “It’s very disheartening to see that even after all the effort and all the attention that we brought to the issues that plague Kalyani Nagar, they have not really been addressed. There has just been some cosmetic action that has been done by PMC. Nothing really has been done by the excise department to ensure that the cancellation of licenses happens. The residents have been plagued by the issue of so many bars and restaurants around our houses, and even after knocking on every door possible - from the collector to the PMC to the highest levels - we see that very little gets done in terms of real action. I just feel like we pay our property taxes. We are law-abiding citizens. We do everything that needs to be done. But the support that we need to get for the taxes that we pay, for the salaries that are paid to PMC and excise and every other department - we just feel like we are given the short end of the stick. And it always feels like we are the losers in the big picture.”

'No lessons were learnt'

Harsh Bharwani, another resident, rued that no lessons were learnt after the accident. “Many restaurants have been opened in Kalyani Nagar, which is a residential area. And there is no coordination between PMC and the excise department, as the excise department gives licenses to bar and restaurant owners without coordinating with PMC’s fire department, and no permission or issue of NOC is being given by PMC. These bar and restaurant owners gradually encroach on the nearby areas, and if the place or bar can accommodate 50 persons, due to the encroached area, more and more people come, and it becomes very crowded, which leads to traffic. I urge PMC and the excise department to give licenses to bar and restaurant owners only after checking and as per the laws," he said.

'Scared to cross the road'

Gayatri Prabhu, another resident, said she feels scared to cross the road. “There is blaring noise pollution, chaos, and traffic jams, and there is no fear of the law; people drive recklessly. After the accident, nobody learnt their lessons. The authorities are in action only for a few days and months, and then things come to a standstill. I’m scared to even cross the roads at zebra crossings when the signal is red because you never know - some car could come crashing into you. People don’t follow traffic rules. That’s the sad reality," she concluded.