Gurugram's iconic Cyber Hub bore a deserted look on Sunday after Supreme Court's highway liquor ban.
Normally a bustling eating and drinking hangout, Gurugram's iconic hangout spot
Cyber Hub bore a deserted look on Sunday. Where the wait at these restaurants can last up to an hour on weekends, the tables today were empty. Cyber Hub is one of the "victims" of the Supreme Court-imposed ban on sale of liquor within 500 metres of a highway. With Gurugram setup entirely around National Highway 8, the situation is the same in most parts of the Millennium City.
Members of the hospitality sector met today to come to a united approach in how to deal with the order which they say is expected to lead to losses of Rs 1,000 crore. “It’s a Black Day for the hospitality sector. These are the worst times since independence we face as an industry. More than hundred thousand crores of revenue loss,” said Kapil Chopra, President The Oberoi Group.
The ban means no liquor in major centres like Goa and Gurugram which are set all around highways. Thousands of pubs and restaurants are already shut across the country. Even marriages will go dry as most wedding venues are located around the highway in the capital.
Arjun Sharma, Co-Chair, National Committee on Tourism, said, "The ban goes against the ethos of Incredible India. This sends out a very wrong message."
Among those who spoke out in favour of the hospitality sector was the
Niti Aayog Chief Amitabh Kant who tweeted:For now the hospitality sector has decided not to approach the court but engage with governments, both at the state and central level.