The National Highways Authority of India has already started issuing notices to the owners of the liquor stores that are operating on the national highways without any prior approval and permission from the associated authorities. The same was issued after the orders from the Punjab and Haryana high court.
The project implementation unit of the Ambala branch of National Highways Authority of India has already initiated the process of issuing the notices to the illegal liquor stores in the stretch of NH-44. More than 90 such vendors have been issued with a noticed stretching from Panipat to Jalandhar on the National Highway no. 44. The process was deemed effective after the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) issued a notice to NHAI to look into the matter and do the needful in compliance with the HC orders.
The noticed was passed on March 27th 2018 by the high court clarifying that no liquor vendors, surrounding the MC area but beyond the town, won’t be allowed to operate without any legal access permission from the National Highways Authority of India. In accordance to the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, it is mandatory for the occupying lands falling outside the municipal limits of the town, villages or even the cities but situated on the highways should have permission by the official NHAI administration.
The issue was later discussed on April 25th 2018 in the high court where an NHAI official mentioned that the process of notice issuing in compliance with the HC directions has already been started. NHAI is in the process of removing all the unwanted liquor store, billboards and hoardings for the advertisement of liquor sale on the stretch of the national highways. They further claimed that the officials have already sent the notices to the liquor vendors along the national highways stating the removal of the shops or relocations to ensure the least amount of distraction for the highway goers.
The case concerning the issue is being looked over and judged by Justice A K Mittal. After hearing the statements from the NHAI official from the Ambala section, the justice adjourned the case stating that the next hearing is going to be on April 30th 2018. The high court is still awaiting further information and updates regarding the progress of the issued notices to the liquor vendors from the other units of NHAI.
The operation regarding the issue was fast-tracked after the Chandigarh based NGO, “Arrive Safe”, through their president Harman Sidhu filed a complaint regarding the overwhelming number of liquor stores on the national highway. He filed a complaint stating the ineffectiveness of the issued directions by the high court back in March 27th 2018. The main highlighted issue by the president of the NGO was the fact that all of these vendors were managing their business without any kind of legal approval from the National Highways Authority of India. Following the strict notice issued to NHAI, they have assured that the process is in progress and the illegal vendors will soon be eradicated from their place on the highways.
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