Nagpur’s booming rooftop bar culture came under intense scrutiny in the Maharashtra Assembly on Friday after BJP MLA Pravin Datke alleged that 66 rooftop bars and lounges in the city were operating with serious violations. Datke said several establishments were serving liquor to minors and ignoring essential safety norms, creating a major law-and-order risk. He warned that Nagpur could face a tragedy similar to the Goa rooftop bar fire, which claimed multiple lives due to fire safety lapses.
Datke said many bars lacked mandatory approvals such as structural stability certificates, firefighting systems, emergency exits and proper crowd management. Some had allegedly expanded illegally by adding temporary wooden decks and glass structures. Despite repeated complaints from citizens, he said the Excise Department, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Fire Department had not conducted serious inspections for months.
“These lounges have become hubs of illegal activities, and minors consuming alcohol is becoming dangerously common,” Datke said, demanding surprise inspections and suspension of licences of violators.
Calling for a statewide policy review, he urged the Chief Minister to introduce a uniform licensing framework for rooftop bars in Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune and Nashik. The Speaker acknowledged the seriousness of the issue, stating that public safety must take priority, and the House now awaits the government’s action plan.
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