Nagpur: The city’s hospitality industry is grappling with confusion and unease after several rooftop restaurants were allegedly asked to shut down without any official notice, even as a brand-new rooftop venue, Romeo Lane, was launched the same evening with foreign dancers performing on stage.
Hotel Airport Centre Point CEO, Disha Yadav, confirmed that on Wednesday, they received a phone call from Sonegaon Police Station instructing them to immediately close their rooftop restaurant. According to her, the police cited an incident involving a fight at a rooftop restaurant in Bajaj Nagar as the reason behind the action. However, she emphasized that no written communication was provided, nor did any police official visit the premises for inspection. “How can such an arbitrary step be taken without any official notice or due process?” she questioned.
It is also learnt that similar instructions were verbally given to other rooftop restaurants in Bajaj Nagar, Pratap Nagar, and Sonegaon, creating widespread uncertainty among restaurant operators. While established venues were being shut down based on an alleged isolated incident, Romeo Lane—a new rooftop restaurant at Deo Nagar Square—was being inaugurated in full public view. Videos from the launch event, which are now circulating on social media, show foreign dancers performing on stage and a crowd celebrating, further highlighting the glaring contradiction in enforcement.
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08 Aug 2025
Amid mounting concerns over inconsistent actions and the lack of transparency, the hospitality industry now looks toward Friday, 1st August, when a crucial meeting has been scheduled at the Police Bhavan Auditorium Hall in Civil Lines. The meeting, to be chaired by the Commissioner of Police, will include all hotel, lodge, and OYO property owners and operators within Nagpur city. Stakeholders are hoping this interaction will bring clarity on the city police’s approach towards rooftop operations and address the growing unrest over what many are calling selective enforcement.
Until then, rooftop restaurant operators across Nagpur remain in a state of uncertainty, demanding clear guidelines and accountability from the authorities.
– Romesh Arya
