No plans for night curfew in Lonavla, other tourist destinations: Rural SP

The Pune rural police are undecided and presently have no plans to impose “night curfew” in their jurisdiction under which Lonavala hill station and other party destinations are situated. Pune Rural SP Abhinav Deshmukh said, “We do not have any such plans as of now. Currently, there is no restriction of movement in the rural parts of the district.”

Social media and online discussion forums were abuzz with the likely move of the rural police to stop residents from mass partying at the popular holiday destination which comes under the rural police jurisdiction. A number of revellers from Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Mumbai find Lonavla an apt party destination for the New Year. The hill station also sees visitors from other states, including Gujarat, during this period.

According to local residents, family bookings, including those of party destinations like villas and bungalows, have started in advance. Hoteliers who were looking forward to welcome visitors after a dull eight-month season are apprehensive about the possible night curfew and restrictions.

Sakshi Kumar, a youngster from Baner, said, “We have already booked a place in Lonavla for New Year celebrations for seven of us. The news of party restrictions on social media and WhatsApp is a dampener. We don’t want restrictions to be imposed just because a section of people want it and the police must not act under pressure from different quarters.”

The representatives of a few three and five star hotels in Lonavla said that New Year celebrations will not take place at their properties.

Manas Garg, a software professional who has booked a private place in Lonavla said, “We have received a positive response from the owner of the place, but with the imposition of night curfew in corporation areas, citizens are demanding the same be implemented in rural areas which is likely to spoil our yearend plans.”

The Maharashtra government has announced that a seven-hour night curfew would be put in place across all cities and municipal corporation areas in the state from December 22 from 11pm to 6am for 15 days until January 5, 2021.