Team-BHP - Wine Shops on Highways- A Major Concern

Hi All,

I am not representing any organization nor i am here to criticize the government. I have a major concern in my mind running for the past few weeks. I noticed a wine shop in the highways while travelling. isn't this like encouraging everyone to drink and drive, there is no way anyone can come by an auto or taxi to this place just to drink and leave nor any buses stop here. So isnt this like promoting drinking and driving which might result in more number of accidents on the Highways, especially trucks? May be i am not great with words and i am not able to bring out the emotions in me exactly, but i am sure that many would feel the same as what i feeel about these shops. Can anything be done at all, to abolish these shops on the higways? And also we need highway patrols possibly to check all the drivers for influence, and since there are many toll plazas present now, it is possible to do this?, but i am not sure about how and whom to approach regarding this. Also will the media take this issue seriously, if taken to them? If anyone is from the media please comment.

This has been the case of many many decades.Having a wine shop along the highway isn't any different from having a wine shop in the city.Anyone can gain access to the booze, and either drink & drive, or not drive at all.It all comes down to basic common sense (for those who choose not to drink & drive), or lack of options (such as truck drivers who drink to get over their fatigue; some of them drink, and pass out for a good couple of hours, and then resume their driving).
The only way to safeguard lives, is to have random checks and enforce a heavy penalty on those who drink and drive. When will that happen in India, God alone knows!

Quote:

Originally Posted by aargee (Post 1786576)

If the liquor shops are not available on the highway, they carry them their own way.

Be a little optimistic. Those who want to drink will do so anyway. That can be tackled separately. The concern here is people who have not intended to drink might do so once they see these shops.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Live To Jive (Post 1786585)

Be a little optimistic. Those who want to drink will do so anyway. That can be tackled separately. The concern here is people who have not intended to drink might do so once they see these shops.

What I meant was, if someone decides to drink, whether or not the shop is found on highway, he drinks. If not the highway, he would carry some with him. This is exactly what Nitin said "Having a wine shop along the highway isn't any different from having a wine shop in the city" - hope you got the point.

Let alone wine shops, they are openly available in Dhabas and petty shops all over our highways and the authorities, including the Police and the Govt officials are hand in glove with these lawbreakers.

Off topic, even Petty tea stalls are a menace on the highways which unintentionally cause accidents as a result of haphazard parking by the trucks in the night.

In Kerala we have boards everywhere saying "Do not mix drink with drive". This is kept by the state govt. And very near to it there will be another board saying "KTDC Beer Parlor. 2kms ahead." This is also placed by the govt. I have always wanted them to remove the KTDC boards. It attracts people who do not intent to drink otherwise.

I think it's similar to the logic that the pro-gun lobby uses i.e. "Liquor doesn't cause accidents, people do." On the other hand, ANY shop or stall by the highway is a potential risk if it causes drivers to make sudden stops or park on the road, especially in low visibility conditions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aargee (Post 1786576)

If the liquor shops are not available on the highway, they carry them their own way.

i agree with aargee

this happens most of the time, there is no fear of cops, because, if people get caught drink while drive, they pay bribe and get off easily..

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979 (Post 1786935)

According to the law, its illegal to have road side wine shops on national highways. The law is clear cut, its just that there is no enforcement.

Nope. I don't think so, I tried to google & here're my findings
The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News

There're atleast 2 TASMAC (TN govt owned liquor shops) near my home in NH205

OT - Here we're talking about liquor shops on national highways; see the target set by our govt
Source - http://tasmac.tn.gov.in/offtakeimfl.asp & http://tasmac.tn.gov.in/offtakebeer.asp and look at the growth rate - http://tasmac.tn.gov.in/Turnover.htm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979 (Post 1786935)

According to the law, its illegal to have road side wine shops on national highways. The law is clear cut, its just that there is no enforcement.

Oh. I never knew that.

Also, I think there is a High Court judgement banning speed bumps on National Highways!

Yes, I couldn't find much online, but atleast for Punjab and Haryana there is a judgment
[quoteDirections from courts, including the Punjab and Haryana High Court, on liquor sale on highways notwithstanding, the state governments in this part of the country appear to be locked in severe competition in granting concessions and relaxations in their excise laws to the powerful liquor lobbies.[/quote]the above is from a newspaper article.[/quote]
I cannot find the exact judgment though. As you know finding anything related to law online in India is quite daunting!
Another article
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070409/cth1.htm
See what this says

Quote:

No liquor vend shall be permitted to be opened at a distance of 50 metres from the main gate of a place of worship, educational institution and place of public entertainment.
The liquor vend on the national highways/ state highways are to be located as per the provisions stipulated in the Punjab Scheduled Roads and Controlled Area (Restriction of Unregulated Development) Act, 1963.
No liquor vend shall be allowed to be opened at a distance of less than 150 metres of national highway (except for within municipal corporation) limits. The distance is measured from the main entrance of the liquor vend. The administration reserves the right to refuse permission for a vend at a particular location for the reasons of public morality, public health and public order.