Looking for a watering hole in Gurgaon to drink through the night? The New Year’s eve ruckus by a mob of Delhi youths has poured water over your plans.
Shaken by the groping and molestation of a woman on MG Road on the night of December 31, the Gurgaon Police have asked pubs and bars in the city to shut down by midnight.
The directive spares just a handful of places — 14 stand-alone bars that can serve liquor till 2am and another 12 in four and five-star hotels that can operate round-the-clock.
“All bars, except those with special permission, will have to shut down by midnight. Strict action will be taken against those flouting the order,” Gurgaon Police commissioner KK Sindhu said.
“Parties cannot happen at the cost of the safety and security of people,” Sindhu said.
The clampdown — actually the enforcement of an existing deadline — was prompted by the mayhem created by youths from Delhi after the Gurgaon police evacuated them from bars and pubs on New Year’s eve.
Late night party-goers from Delhi will be worst affected by the move as lounges, pubs and discotheques in the Capital shut down by 1am and Gurgaon has been a convenient alternative.
“If pubs in Gurgaon close early, we will have no place to enjoy after work,” said Gaurav Pandey, a Rohini resident who works with a BPO in Gurgaon. “In Delhi, the bars shut by 1am, but in Gurgaon one can enjoy till 4 in the morning.”
Pub-owners in Gurgaon, too, are unhappy. “Our business starts after midnight. Until then, we are able to do just 20% business,” said Shamsher Singh, the owner of Mojo Bar.
{{/usCountry}}Pub-owners in Gurgaon, too, are unhappy. “Our business starts after midnight. Until then, we are able to do just 20% business,” said Shamsher Singh, the owner of Mojo Bar.
{{/usCountry}}Vikram Rana, director of Vapours, said: “All of us have to take additional licence to stay open beyond midnight or else our business will suffer.”