The Haryana government has withdrawn the no objection certificates of 12 pubs located in three malls – Sahara Mall, MGF Mall and JMD – on MG Road, in Gurugram. This move comes after many residents complained about the nefarious activities taking place in the pubs, which made it impossible for people from neighbouring areas, specifically those with families, to visit the malls after dark.
The residents alleged that most of the pubs on MG Road mall mile were a breeding ground of flesh trade and drugs, making them inaccessible to families.
MG Road has over time become a hub for all dark activities which plague our society. Gurugram is being pitched as a model city but on the other side it is becoming a problem and a sin city, feels Rajeev Sinha, former president, Essel Tower RWA.
“It is our good luck that the current leadership & administration is now helping the city and us to clean it up. We have to ensure that this effort of leadership, administration and ours is not wasted and MG Road remains clear of such activities permanently. RWAs are worried as the flesh trade gets shifted to the illegal guest houses in the societies on the MG Road after initial solicitation in the pubs/clubs,” adds Sinha.
“The main MG Road would become an open brothel at dark due to the spill over of around 1500 girls from these pubs. The withdrawal of licences will ensure law and order and clean environment to people in the neighborhood. MG road should be developed as a family entertainment area with family restobars and not these pubs engaged in immoral acts, ” said Akash Oberoi, vice president MGF Metropolitan Mall.
Soliciting takes place in the mall clubs and gets shifted to the illegal guest houses on MG Roads and other areas close by, explains Sinha. “These guests houses must be closed without further delay which will end this slur of Gurugram,” he added.
“Over one lakh residents on MG roads are taken to ransom by less than 10 clubs/pubs in different malls on MG road forcing the residents to live in fear. We cannot move out after 6 PM. Are these 10 pubs so important? What is the revenue from immoral acts? Is the peace or safety of residents of no value? The administration can easily see that these are pubs are being run as brothels. THESE SHOULD BE SHUT IMMEDIATELY,” Smriti Budhiraja, a resident DLF Phase 2 told NewsMobile.
Imagine a pub called BAD GIRLS next door, with pictures of sleazy girls on the outdoor, says Ruchi Bhandari, another resident of DLF phase 2. “Then you walk a bit and enter Sahara mall, where you rub shoulders with all the wrong girls with their pimps and their customers. All this should be shut before this becomes Pattaya of India,” she feels.
For parents of children at an impressionable age this is a big concern. “I’m mother of two growing kids. For us malls at MG Road are nearest for outing shopping and eating. But because of immoral activities which are going in and around this area I feel unsafe. I want that strict action should be taken against pubs and clubs which are directly or indirectly involved. I want My MG Road to be safe for families,” feels Ashima Badhan who stays in Sector 52.