Deputy CM writes to Road Transport and Highways minister Gadkari to denotify 7.75-kilometre stretch
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has written a letter to Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to de-notify a 7.75-kilometer-stretch on a national highway in the Capital so that sale of liquor is allowed in hotels, restaurants and resorts. Earlier this stretch was banned from serving alcohol, following a recent Supreme Court order. The order bans sale of liquor in establishments that are within 500 meters of national and state highways.
Sisodia wrote to Gadkari on May 31, after a representation was made by owners and managers of various hotels, restaurants and resorts based on the National Highway 236 also known as Mehrauli-Gurugram (MG) Road. In the letter, Sisodia stated, "It has been mentioned in the representation that business has been adversely affected and huge social impact also."
He has urged Gadkari to look into the matter for "necessary action".
The representation made by hotel, restaurant and banquet owners stated the excise department has cancelled all excise licenses including temporary licences on the 7.75 kilometer-stretch from Anderia Mor to the Delhi and Haryana border on National Highway 236. They stated that the liquor ban on this stretch of road has caused huge unemployment, closure of businesses and a huge loss of revenue to the government.
The representation to the deputy chief minister was made by 11 restaurants and banquets on NH-236.
In its representation, the hotel, restaurant and banquet representatives stated, "We are suffering. The livelihoods of hundreds of our employees is at stake. We humbly request you to accept our plea to de-notify the above stretch of NH-236 at the earliest."
To further strengthen their point, the representatives stated that Road number 236 was made a national highway on February 2, 2010. "This was a sample highway made by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to showcase how NHAI plans to replicate the highways was building across India at that time. In 2013, NHAI gave over this highway — NH-236 — to Delhi government's Public Works Department," it stated.
Interestingly, the representation also stated that highway NH-236 is the only highway of its kind in India which starts in the city and ends in the city. As a result, it pointed out that once the NH-236 enters Gurugram it ceases to be a highway as Haryana government treats it as a city road thereafter. Also all outlets having excise licenses are allowed to function on the rest of road.
"The NH-236 has many entry and exit points leading to various farms houses, villages and laldora residential areas and does not really classify as a highway," the representation stated.
Since the ban of the sale of liquor within 500 meters of national and state highways, many are re-designating highways or seeking legal redress to circumvent it.
LICENCES CANCELLED
- The representation made by hotel, restaurant and banquet owners stated the excise department has cancelled all excise licences including temporary licenses on the 7.75 kilometer-stretch from Anderia Mor.
- Manish Sisodia wrote to Gadkari, after a representation was made by owners and managers of various hotels, restaurants and resorts based on the National Highway 236
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