10pm dilemma: Pune CP says licensed restos exempt, local cops force closure

Pune: Confusion refuses to die down among city restaurateurs over the enforcement of the 10pm closure deadline. Though the police commissioner clarified that the action did not apply to licensed restaurants, owners said the on-ground situation was starkly different, marked by mixed signals, inconsistent enforcement and rising uncertainty.

“Police teams are landing up at restaurants every night since Thursday, telling them to pull shutters down by 10pm or 10.30pm. Where is the logic in this? The commissioner has already clarified that licensed restaurants are exempt,” a spokesperson of the National Restaurant Association of India said.

Across neighbourhoods like Camp, Deccan and Kothrud, restaurant owners described a growing pattern — informal instructions, late-night interventions and an environment where no one was quite sure what rule really applied. Adding fuel to the fire are a series of unverified messages circulating on WhatsApp, claiming sweeping restrictions: no private events, no large gatherings and mandatory additional police permissions. With no official communication to back these claims, panic and doubt have set in.

“How do we run a business like this?” asked a restaurant owner operating out of Kothrud. “Am I supposed to cancel bookings or refuse group reservations based on something I have only seen on WhatsApp? This ambiguity is wearing us down,” the restaurateur said.

On JM Road, one restaurant owner recounted how police arrived at 10.30pm on Monday and began dispersing people outside the establishment. “They told customers waiting outside to leave. Then they told us to switch off the lights inside. We simply can’t take risks anymore. We are planning to stop accepting bookings after 9.30pm. That’s how uncertain things have become,” the owner said.

In Camp, another restaurant owner pointed out the unintended consequences of such crackdowns. “People often buy food and eat in their cars or sit outside because of waiting crowds, especially on weekends. Is it fair to drive them away just because they aren’t formally seated inside?” he asked.

Others questioned why restaurants seemed to have become the focal point of enforcement. A restaurateur near Deccan said: “If these WhatsApp ‘rules’ are true, then what about crowding near theatres? Why is all the pressure on restaurants?”

Amid the growing unrest, the restaurant owners are united in one demand — clarity. They want clear and written guidelines that leave no room for interpretation at the local level.

Responding, Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar reiterated his position, attempting to draw a firm line between perception and policy. “We are taking action only against establishments that are not permitted to remain open after 10pm. These include hawkers (licensed or otherwise) and unlicensed setups like roadside eateries occupying footpaths and paan stalls,” the Pune CP said.

“Our personnel have been told not to interfere with licensed establishments like restaurants and bars, which are allowed to remain open till 12.30am or 1.30am,” Kumar said.

He further dismissed concerns about broader restrictions on public movement. “There are no special prohibitory orders in place. People are free to move about. These are routine, fortnightly orders that we issue,” the CP said.

Kumar, however, acknowledged that police teams were actively dispersing groups lingering on roads and footpaths late into the night. “This is part of a larger effort to curb crime and reduce suspicious movement,” he said.