Several promised reopening dates have come and gone in year-and-half since blast; new management or owners still unable to sort out issues like court case over property
Several promised reopening dates have come and gone in year-and-half since blast; new management or owners still unable to sort out issues like court case over property
It now seems doubtful if we will get to taste the famous apple strudel at the good old German Bakery in Koregaon Park any time soon. Even a year-and-half after a blast destroyed the popular restaurant, the owners have not been able to revive the place.
Doors still closed: The interiors of the German Bakery in Koregaon
Park after renovation work was taken up. File pic
A new management was said to have taken up the renovation and operation of the bakery and pumped in Rs 2 crore for the purpose, but that has also not helped the restaurant make any headway towards its reopening.
There have been claims made about the reopening by the owners and the new management in the past, but every time they have failed to keep the promise.
Sources said that because of the ongoing tussle over the property, it looks like it will take a while before the bakery will be thrown open again for business.
Vijay Shewale and Rajan Udane, the team that forms the new management of the bakery, said they were trying their best to revive the bakery.
"We are still not sure when the bakery will start. We are trying," said Shewale. The Kharose family, who are the original owners of the bakery, also admitted that they could not a give a definite date for the reopening.
Members of the family said they were very stressed because of the ongoing court case but remained hopeful that they would be able to restart the bakery.
"We are already under several constraints and we are trying to sort out all issues. We don't have any other income source, and have to start the bakery as soon as possible," said Snehal, the elder daughter of owner Smita Kharose. "Our endeavour is to provide the flavour of the place and also keep the same working staff."
Reopening schedule goes awry
On February 13 this year, when the first anniversary of the blast was observed, Vijay Shewale from the new management said the bakery would be reopened by the end of July. He then said the opening would take place before Ganeshotsav. But the German Bakery has still not opened. Earlier, Shewale had said the PMC would not give permission for the kitchen of the bakery unless there was enough space for parking of vehicles in the bakery complex.
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Plans for German Bakery
The new German Bakery shall have a network of CCTV cameras in the entire complex. The initial plan was to install 25 CCTV cameras once the bakery got a clearance from the PMC and the issue related to the civil court got over.
"We are ready to install more CCTV cameras if the Koregaon Park police insist," said Rajan Udane of the new German Bakery management.
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