Bringing respite to liquor vendors of Cyber Hub, the Haryana Excise Department has allowed 33 pubs and bars to serve alcohol again from the evening of May 4.
Cyber Hub is close to NH 8, and its pubs and bars had to shut shop after the Supreme Court put the minimum distance between these and the highway at 500 m to discourage drunk driving.
The deputy excise and taxation commissioner (West) HC Dahiya said 33 establishments would now be allowed to resume operations.
This declaration came after a committee remeasured the distance of the banned bars and pubs from the highway. The final report was then mailed to the excise commissioner of Panchkula.
“As per the final report, all the 33 pubs and bars are now in the clear zone and permitted to renew their liquor licence and begin operations,” confirmed Hardeep Singh, Gurgaon deputy commissioner.
The court ban had affected 115 pubs and bars in the city, of which 69 have now received clearance to serve alcohol.
The rollback will prevent thousands of employees from losing their jobs and returning to their hometowns. The last few months have been particularly difficult for them.
“I am really happy that we are back at work again. I can’t express my happiness — really want to get back to serving our customers,” said a happy Rahul Dinotia, employed with The Wine Company.
And the residents, too, couldn’t be happier!
Speaking to City Spidey, Shavi Gandhi said, “It’s quite a relief. I work in Cyber City and had to go to other places for dinner. But now we can enjoy coming here again like we used to.”
Anshuman Upadhyaya, who was with Gandhi, added, “I missed coming to my favourite place, The Wine Company, but now things will be the same as before.”
The pub and bar owners, though relieved, are still waiting for things to normalise.
Ashwini Choudhary, director of Soi 7, said, “After so much uncertainty, we can finally relax. The whole situation had become very stressful for us, but finally we can get back to work as usual.”
Adding to this, Ashish Kapur, director of The Wine Company, said, “There was so much running around in the last month. Finally, we have been given a clean chit.”