PMC razes illegal structures in Viman Nagar, including Rameshwaram Cafe

Heavy machinery leveled roughly 6,500 square feet of unauthorized front-margin and front-setback construction across Viman Nagar, with Rameshwaram Cafe among the prominent targets. The Pune Municipal Corporation carried out the operation on Wednesday morning, March 4, 2026, as part of a Zone 4 anti-encroachment drive.

“The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) carried out a major demolition drive on Wednesday morning, removing illegal constructions across multiple locations in Viman Nagar,” city reporting noted as civic teams worked under police protection. Structures at the front margin near Neco Garden, Sambar Hotel Lane, Krishna Hotel Chowk and Ganpati Mandir Chowk were also cleared during the operation.

Civic teams used heavy equipment to raze permanent extensions that officials said intruded into mandatory open spaces and blocked footpaths. “Approximately 6,500 square feet of unauthorized construction was removed during the drive,” municipally reported figures show, and demolition squads operated with police on site to manage security and traffic during the morning action.

Rameshwaram Cafe, which opened in December 2025 and has been described in coverage as a popular dosa chain and a newly opened eatery, lost the front-margin extension that officials said had encroached on the sidewalk. Media accounts and resident complaints cited long lines at the cafe that often spilled onto sidewalks and nearby roads, contributing to traffic jams in the busy airport corridor section of Viman Nagar; the removal is being portrayed as a setback to the chain’s expansion in the neighbourhood.

A senior official in the building permission department framed the action as enforcement of clear development controls: “Front margins are mandatory open spaces. Any permanent structure in these areas is a violation. We had issued notices earlier, and after due procedure, the demolition was carried out.” Officials said notices had been served to violators before the March 4 operation and that the drive followed established procedural steps.

Several residents voiced support for the demolitions, saying strict enforcement is needed in rapidly developing localities such as Viman Nagar to keep footpaths clear and maintain road visibility. PMC officials signalled that similar drives will continue in other parts of the city as part of ongoing efforts to enforce development control rules and restore pedestrian access in congested commercial stretches.

The immediate fallout will include site-by-site adjustments: removal of permanent front-margin fixtures, restored walking space at the affected chowks and lanes, and potential disruption to businesses that relied on the extensions. PMC officials and Rameshwaram Cafe management have not provided further on-the-record statements about fines, appeals, or the exact site-by-site breakdown of the 6,500 sq ft total; civic teams indicated follow-up enforcement in Zone 4 and beyond.