Man behind highway liquor ban says he too feels the pinch

Chandigarh: The issue of liquor being sold on national and state highways was first brought to the Supreme Court's notice by this Chandigarh-based man.

He had argued that the presence of liquor outlets along the highways increased the risk of accidents due to drunken driving.

However, little did he realize that his PIL in the apex court would one day also leave him high and dry.

As the popular watering holes in cities shut down, Harman Sidhu says it sucks, since too has been a visitor to some of these joints to wet his tongue.

Many bars and restaurants in his hometown have been forced to go dry after the Supreme Court's order.

"I, too, am feeling the pinch. I love to drink and I have to go that extra mile to fetch my stock. I can't accept that a large part of Chandigarh is going dry," the Times of India quoted Sidhu as saying.

"Highways are supposed to be outside cities and to be used only for long drives.

"But thanks to the Chandigarh authorities' goof-up, there are many highways within Chandigarh.

“This could well have been a world record of sorts. Now everybody, including me, will have to suffer," Sidhu was quoted as saying.

Here is the twist.

Many thoroughfares in the city had been declared as state highways as the municipal corporation didn't have the resources to maintain them.

Which means, the SC order would also be applicable to these roads.

But Sidhu remains fazed. He promptly challenged the denotification in the Supreme Court and the next date of hearing is April 17.