The Haryana Government has imposed Covid restrictions in Gurugram for closure timings from 5 pm to 5 am on the market, malls, shops, liquor vends and others.

More than 50 liquor contractors from the East/West zone protested at the office of the District Excise Commissioner in Gurugram on Tuesday and tender a memorandum to the Commissioner and urged to extend their liquor shop closure timing at present from 5 pm to 11 pm and if not so they demanded a rebate in the license fee.

"The government has imposed timing restrictions due to covid-19, however, we are not against the government order but our 90% businesses have been hampered due to liquor shops closure timing till 5 pm. Maximum people used to buy liquor during the evening hours and if our shops will be closed at 5 pm how our business will run as we are paying a hefty licence fee to the government," Rohit Yadav, a liquor contractor said.

The contractors said while the bar and restaurant can operate till 11 pm with 50% occupancy but the closure of liquor vends at 5 pm makes no sense. Currently the liquor vends open timing is 9 am to 5 pm.

"We just urge before the commissioner to extend our timing from current 5 pm to 11 pm so that we can run our business. With this restriction, our business has been drastically hampered and if they will not rebate us we have no option but to close our establishment or in future, we will decide our future course of action. We are already following all covid restrictions,' Vikram Yadav, another liquor contractor said.

An official of the excise department requesting anonymity said they have received a memorandum given by the liquor contractor they will inform the government over the issue and necessary help will be provided to them.