Gurugram RWAs protest rampant public drinking, seek Haryana CM intervention
Gurugram residents are increasingly distressed as the problem of public drinking has spread far beyond liquor vends and their immediate vicinity, infiltrating sector markets, entry gates, empty plots and even sector roads.
The Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have raised concerns, stating that numerous sector markets have effectively turned into open ahatas (informal drinking spaces). In a letter to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, routed through local MLA Mukesh Sharma, RWAs have demanded urgent action to address the issue.
According to the RWAs, the problem has escalated beyond the usual “car-o-bar” trend. People are now seen carrying bottles and drinking openly in markets, near ATMs and along sector roads, raising serious safety concerns, especially for women venturing out after dark.
Scuffles and disturbances caused by intoxicated individuals have reportedly become frequent. “They started by opening liquor vends in sector markets, and now the entire market has turned into an open ahata,” said a representative of Sector 15 Part 2 RWA, one of Gurugram’s upscale sectors. “Groups of men stand with drinks on car bonnets, sit at snack carts, or even on pavements, openly consuming alcohol and then urinating publicly. Women feel unsafe visiting these markets, and accessing ATMs has become a major challenge. Even when we call the police, they say they can only intervene if there’s a major disturbance,” he added.
The problem has been exacerbated by the omission of Section 68 from Haryana’s excise policy, which made drinking in public places a non-cognisable offence. In 2022, an average of 10 FIRs a day were registered for public drinking, but no such cases are being recorded anymore due to the policy change.
The United Gurugram RWA (UGR) has also sought the CM’s intervention. “Public drinking has become rampant, and residential areas are being targeted. The government must act to curb this menace,” said UGR president Praveen Yadav.
