Pune: The discovery of a drug party at L3 Hotel on FC Road has sent shockwaves through Pune. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has now begun cracking down on bars and pubs encroaching on public property along FC Road, alongside actions by the police and excise department.
The PMC’s anti-encroachment squad is currently targeting several establishments encroaching public places on FC Road. Officials have suggested that L3 Hotel, which hosted the controversial drug party, might also be included in the crackdown.
Recent operations have revealed that many hotels on FC Road have expanded illegally. The municipal team has been actively removing these encroachments, as confirmed by officials.
An employee at one of the FC Road hotels commented, "I work here, but it’s only when incidents like this drug party come to light that the government notices the encroachments. Such events put people's jobs at risk."
The situation has intensified with a viral video showing youths allegedly consuming drugs at a well-known hotel in Pune, following the Porsche accident case involving a minor. This video has led opposition leaders to question the government's handling of law and order. The footage shows two youths taking drugs in the washroom of a hotel on Ferguson Road.
It may be recalled that in September 2023, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took decisive action against prominent establishments, including Hotel Vaishali and Queens Shop, located on Fergusson College Road.
At Hotel Vaishali, the PMC's building construction department had dismantled unauthorized sheds on the terrace and in the backyard. Civic officials had removed unauthorized structures covering 3,500 square feet using gas cutters.
In December 2023, the PMC had demolished an illegal shopping mall spanning 7,000 square feet on FC Road, containing up to 70 stalls. The unauthorized structure, causing traffic congestion on the road, had been there for eight years.
