INDU BHAGAT
Pune: The Pune Rural Police are considering to extend the ‘night curfew’ in their jurisdiction under which Lonavala and other party hotspots are covered. This move is aimed to prevent citizens moving out of the municipal corporation limits of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad for Christmas and 31st December or New Year celebrations.
Speaking with our reporter, Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Dr Abhinav Deshmukh told the ‘Deccan Express’ that the Pune District Collector has the power to extend the curfew to the rural areas of the district and that this proposal is under consideration.
Due to the night curfew imposed in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad cities, citizens are moving out of the city limits and enquiring about party plans and accommodation facilities in rural areas. Prominent hoteliers in Lonavala have started receiving booking orders for December 31 party and most of them are already booked by the people living in Pune and Mumbai. Farmhouse and resorts located outside Pune city are flooded with new inquiries and their bookings are in full swing. Private bungalows, villas are also being preferred by young boys and girls to make their new year celebrations possible.
Pune Rural Police SP Abhinav Deshmukh
SP Deshmukh said, “As of now, until new orders are passed, night movement in rural areas and people moving to rural areas is not restricted. Lonavala and other party hotspots in the rural area of Pune district are quite popular and people do gather to celebrate there. However, we are taking into consideration this scenario and are thinking about extending the curfew to those areas too.”
In the view of a mutant COVID19 from the United Kingdom, the Maharashtra state government on Monday (December 21) has issued fresh directives regarding restricting movement of people within the municipal corporation limits during the night hours. Effectively, night curfew has been imposed in all the urban areas like Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad city.
No movement, except for the essential and exempted categories of services, shall be allowed within the municipal corporation limits. Orders to this effect have been also issued by the Pune city police and Pimpri-Chinchwad city police independently under the section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure. The night curfew implementation has started from Tuesday (December 22) night and will be continued till 6am on January 6. Not only rural areas of Pune district, citizens are also planning their parties at Konkan and other tourist destinations within and outside Maharashtra.
Soumya Pandey (24) a resident of Lohegaon, too will be heading with her group of friends to their favorite destination in Konkan. “Unlike Pune, there is no curfew at Tarkarli beach and will be open till late night. We have already booked hotels for the 31 night.”
Purnima Jyoti, a software engineer in Pune is planning a family tour to Kerala. “We are getting holidays due to an extended weekend on New Year’s Eve, so I’m planning to take my family to Kerala as we haven’t taken a break for a long time now, plus the pandemic and limited venues for New Year’s celebration in the city made me plan this trip.”