In the wake of the Supreme Court order banning liquor vends, bars and pubs within 500 metres of national and State highways, a few hotels and complexes in Gurugram have changed the entrance to their establishments.
At least three hotels - The Oberoi, The Trident and The Leela - have shut the main entrance and opened the staff gate for their guests.
The move is being viewed as a way to increase the motorable distance from National Highway 8. The hotels have deployed security guards at the main gate to guide their guests to the new entrance.
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When asked if this had been done to circumvent the apex court order, Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Hardeep Singh said on Wednesday that it had been brought to his notice.
He said he would seek the opinion of the Town and Country Planning Department on the new entrances before deciding on the distance from NH-8.
“The new entrance will be considered for measuring the motorable distance only if it is not in violation of the plan,” Mr Singh added.
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A guard at one of the hotels said it was the only option left for them.
The Leela has closed the earlier U-turn leading to its premises and instead opened another U-turn just opposite Lagoon Club. Both The Oberoi and The Leela refused to comment.
The U-turn just opposite Leisure Valley park, too, has been closed, increasing the distance to the Sector 29 commercial complex by a few metres from the service road along NH-8.
Similarly, the unauthorised cut to the main entrance of CyberHub has been closed and vehicles now have to take a detour from the U-turn underpass, exceeding the 500 metre limit. However, a bar owner maintained that the unauthorised cut was allowed due to the construction of DLF-HUDA road and the new route was as per the master plan.