BAKU, July 18, 2025 — A popular restaurant in central Baku is under fire after it was found to have effectively taken over the sidewalk on Ahmed Jamil Street in the Yasamal district, forcing pedestrians to step into the busy roadway to pass by — a move that has raised serious safety concerns.
Local news outlet Xəzər Xəbər contacted the restaurant’s management to clarify the situation. Representatives claimed they had secured all necessary permits from relevant authorities to expand their premises into the public space. However, when pressed, they were unable to produce any official documentation proving they had the legal right to occupy the sidewalk.
Residents and social media users have voiced frustration over what they see as a blatant disregard for public safety and urban regulations. “It’s not just inconvenient — it’s dangerous,” said one local resident. “We have elderly people and children in this neighborhood, and now they’re being pushed into traffic just to walk down the street.”
Urban planning experts have also weighed in, criticizing what they describe as a growing trend of commercial encroachment in Baku’s public spaces, often with little to no enforcement from local authorities.
The incident has prompted calls for the city to investigate how such expansions are being approved — and whether public interests are being sacrificed in favor of private profits.
City officials have yet to comment on the controversy.
