Lords Hotels & Resorts: Mr. Rishi Puri's reaction on highway liquor ban

by Suman Gupta

“We are in agreement that drunk driving is a crime and all actions possible should be taken to end it. However banning restaurants and hotels that serve alcohol along highways is not a fool-proof solution. Those who are intent on a drink will cross the 500 metre mark and consume his daily quota, and then drive ahead.

We are also of the opinion that the star rated hotels should have been kept out of the ban's ambit. Most patrons of such establishments are either in-house guests, wealthy enough to employ services of a chauffeur or responsible enough to engage cabs.

The biggest downside of this ban is the impact it would have on hotel employees affected by it. The hotel industry employs a massive number of semi-skilled and unskilled workers, and it’s very unlikely that these people will find jobs easily or immediately. This ban, therefore not only impacts the bread winners, but also their families. We will hope that the Hon’ble Supreme Court will reconsider its decision and instead address the menace of drunken driving through more pragmatic means,” says Mr Rishi Puri, Vice President, Lords Hotels & Resorts.