Fate of Cyber Hub pubs still uncertain
As the meeting between the Gurgaon deputy commissioner and the committee formed to measure distance of pubs and bars from highways was postponed on Tuesday evening due to lack of documents, the fate of pubs and bars at Cyber Hub will be decided after verifying the approved layout plan, which is yet to be submitted by the developer — DLF.
After the Supreme Court had banned the sale of liquor within 500 metres of national and state highways, DLF changed the entry and exit points of Cyber Hub earlier this month, which the committee members, claimed were the original entry and exit as per the approved layout plan. The distance measured by the committee on April 11, was found to be 1,900 metres from the edge of service lane of the highway after a change in entry and exit points.
“We will soon verify the approved layout plan with senior town planner and submit the final report this week regarding Cyber Hub, though they were already in the safe zone and the measurement report submitted by the committee members had measured the motorable distance,” said Hardeep Singh, Gurgaon deputy commissioner.
Meanwhile, a wall on Sector 29 road that was demolished on Monday was replaced by jersey barriers on Tuesday morning. The wall was constructed on one side of the jersey barriers, two days before April 11, when officials measured the distance to pubs and bars in Sector 29 market from national highway (NH-8). The wall was removed on Monday following a complaint by Chandigarh resident Harman Singh Sidhu, the man who moved the petition in the Supreme Court following which the court imposed the ban.
The entrance to Cyber Hub near Rapid Metro station, next to Shankar Chowk, was moved to ensure that the motorable distance is more than a kilometre from NH-8.
The pub and bar owners alleged that they had submitted the affidavit and got the measurement done in an individual capacity but the approved layout plan is to be submitted by DLF or HUDA. “We will verify the approved plan once we receive it, the final report will be submitted once we complete the documentation work,” said HC Dahiya, deputy excise and taxation commissioner (West).
The town and country planning officials, however, reiterated that change in entry/exit routes would not be allowed as only the approved plans will be in force. Despite repeated attempts, response from DLF officials was not received.