Several pubs and bars in Gurugram’s DLF CyberHub may have to stop selling alcohol from April 1 following a Supreme Court order, reported Hindustan Times. On December 15 last year, the apex court had said that all liquor shops along national and state highways across the country must be closed down and no new ones can be set up within a radius of 500 metres of the roads.

The excise department has identified a total of 143 pubs and bars and 43 liquor vendors near the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway that will not be allowed to function after March 31 this year. A few pubs and bars in the upmarket Sector 29 area, outlets along Sohna Road and bars of five-star hotels will also come under the ambit of this new ruling. “We will comply with the orders of the Supreme Court. We have conducted a survey and will shortly submit the report to the headquarters,” said Aruna Singh, Gurugram deputy excise and taxation commissioner, told Hindustan Times.

In its ruling, the top court had also asked the Central and state governments to ensure that no liquor shop is visible or accessible from highways. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, had also ordered the governments not to issue licences for selling liquor along highways and added that no existing licence will be renewed after March 31.

However, some pub owners are not sure about the ruling and are planning to meet the excise department officials. Arvind Kumar, general manager at The Wine Company, pointed out that apart from causing a major loss to businesses, such a ruling will also endanger the jobs of over three-and-a-half lakh employees.