Team-BHP - Come April 2017, no more Liquor shops on the highway!

Great Order. :thumbs up

Also, this will avoid the chaos on the road side as in many cases vehicles are parked on the road to fetch liquor.

Additionally, no roadside hotels/ dhabas should be permitted to serve liquor or allow liquor consumption on their premises. Else, the intelligent businessmen of our country will find a business opportunity even in this. Since shops will be distant, they will stock and supply at some premium, (with sales permit or without).

A welcome move. clap:

In addition it is time that we thought about the following also on our highways where speed limits are more than 80 kmph :-

Decent motels on highways at regular intervals.
Public utilities with enough parking spaces for trucks which can be kept off the highway during breaks.

Raised Pedestrian crossings close to population centers.
Stricter penalties for wrong side driving.

Wonder what will happen to states like Kerala where the highways runs through towns and cities :P

Welcome move and i would vote to keep a ban on any type of commercial and residential activities having direct access to highways. Yes it will be inconvenient but will save alot of lives and allow faster commute times on highways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaggu (Post 4110076)

I very much had the same question on the Kerala Highways. They will find ways to keep the shops going. Move 100 or 200 feet further away from the highway. :Frustrati

A very welcome move indeed but, what would be the criteria?

Like a fellow member said, what if they move their shop let's say some 100-200 meters from the state highway. Would that liquor vend then be considered as 'not' on the state highway?:Frustrati

Quote:

Originally Posted by drive_angry (Post 4110100)

As per the rule passed, all liquor shops must be at least 500 m away from SH/NH.

OK. Possibly I am alone who is not much impressed with this move. (Read only as "impressed" and do not construe that I "oppose", it in any manner). I am not a vivid supporter of “Ban this, Ban that”, politics that is in vogue.

Selling liquor at highway side does not necessarily mean that it is the sole cause of drunken driving on highways. Firstly, our truck drivers who close their drive after 1:00 a.m and take rest at highway dhabas need that "dose" for better rejuvenation. So disallowing the “Drinks” at such dhabas mean one is depriving the drivers of their basic right. They will eventually end up in buying the same drink by “Other” means. This would only facilitate backend trade of liquor, followed by cops placing barricades every now and then to check alcohol and fleece money from motorists for some or the other hideous reason and nothing else. Simple eg. Alcohol / Non veg is banned in Gujarat; does it mean no one in Gujarat actually drinks alcohol or consumes non veg.
The above ban theory also does not even explain as how it prevents people from purchasing liquor off the highway and storing them in the vehicle in advance and using it later as per convenience. So the whole exercise is futile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by King_pin09 (Post 4110123)

Simple eg. Alcohol / Non veg is banned in Gujarat; does it mean no one in Gujarat actually drinks alcohol or consumes non veg.

Just 1 clarification, Non-Veg is not banned in Gujarat. Maybe shunned, but not banned.And you can purchase liquor if you have a permit( getting one is a different story).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaggu (Post 4110076)

Wonder what will happen to states like Kerala where the highways runs through towns and cities :P

More than any city in Kerala, Mahe will be devastated. Driving through the UT, one can only see petrol pumps and liquor stores. And thats the NH66 I believe. Mahe will turn into a ghost town with all them liquor stores closed. Or is this law not applicable to UTs?

The intent behind the decision is correct, something that our community yearns for, which is safe driving and safety of people on our highways.

But the implementation is what will matter and the government has to ensure that it does not simply become a way of people collecting bribes while allowing the liquor stores to stay open.

It's a great move. I have noticed that in Punjab and Haryana there has been a proliferation of liquor vends on the sides of all highways in the past decade. Since a proper license has to be obtained, hopefully this menace will largely go away.

However, just a blanket ban usually worsens things. It might dissuade the casual drinkers who apply brakes at the sight of a vend, but those who have to drink will look for ways, and this would only mean sale of liquor illegally at the sundry dhabas. Pretty certain the liquor mafia that controls liquor vends up north will now open Dhabas and hotels at the same spots, and there won't be anything or anyone stopping them.

Not sure how much this ban helps. But this might increase the commissions of local law and order folks.

Our people will always find solution to every problem. Even though road-side dhaba's doesn't have permit to sell liquor, they have been doing that since ages. With this ban, they will stock more and also road-side tea/cigarette shops will also start selling liquor illegally.

Good move by Supreme Court; lets hope they are able to implement it to the last dot and plug the holes which will ensure a continuous supply after this ban is implemented starting the FY 17-18.

Would really like to see:

- Daman as people from Gujarat cross the state border to get booz, they will have to drive a little longer now, may be the bye lanes and inner roads (beyond 500 meters) will start fetching higher commercial price; even locations close to Bihar border, a friend was telling me that there is a train which use to run empty earlier (goes across Bihar boarder; some 40 minutes journey) now runs full

- Movement of traffic in the inner locations from highways to fetch liquor, 500 meters is nothing for a car (a minute or two max); some drop in sales will certainly happen, but people will get use to the new paradigm in no time

- Illegal sale on highways, similar to flesh business. I traveled in a truck few years and have seen it happening at 3 locations within a stretch of 50 km. Liquor will find its way too, may be the agents for flesh business will take it up too