The days when only drunk drivers were held solely accountable for driving under the influence are now gone. In order to prevent customers from driving home intoxicated, Gurugram police have issued a formal notice to all bars and restaurants in the district. This directive places legal responsibility on these establishments to ensure their guests do not engage in drunk driving. By shifting accountability from individuals to businesses, the authorities aim to lower fatalities and road accidents related to alcohol consumption.
The Gurugram police have brought Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) into action by issuing a notice to all the bars, clubs, and restaurants in the district. BNS, 2023, is the new criminal code in India, which has replaced the Indian Penal Code, 1986. It aims at streamlining, updating, and making Indian criminal law more people-centered and efficient.
According to this, the bouncers and staff at these establishments must actively help the customers who are intoxicated to get home. They must arrange any alternative transportation, like professional driver services or taxis, for these customers to ensure that they don't drive in such conditions. If they fail to do so, authorities might have to take strict legal action against them.
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This new regulation was implemented in response to curb the rise in the number of drunk driving cases in the district in 2025, with the number of fatalities crossing 300.
The initiative reduces the burden of road safety on the law alone, as they cannot sit back and monitor each and every drunk customer. Also, the establishments must post clear warnings in the parking areas about the legal repercussions of drunk driving for the customers.
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However, the stakeholders from the hospitality industry have raised their concerns about this new regulation by the police. Trustee of the National Restaurant Association of India and the owner of The Beer Cafe, Rahul Singh, has questioned the practicality of this rule. These businesses have now called professional service networks for collaboration. For eg, Park+ offers driver-on-call systems which can help prevent the responsibility from being fully shifted to the bar staff.
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It has also raised public debate, where the rule is being criticised as it places an undue burden on the hospitality industry. There are concerns about how the staff can prevent drunk drivers from driving their own private vehicles. Some have also suggested bringing in technology-based solutions that can verify the details of the customer before serving alcohol.
The authorities argue that this shift of responsibility will surely save lives and also promote responsible alcohol services in the district. Haryana Police Chief O.P. Singh and Gurugram Police Commissioner Vikas Kumar Arora mentioned that the owners of Royal Enfield Bullet and Mahindra Thar drive recklessly, leading to a major number of road accidents and fatalities.
Gurgaon police have surely come up with a unique solution to the rising drunk driving cases in the district. Currently, though the rule is facing a backlash, let's hope that some balancing solution walks in to help with such cases and gradually reduce the numbers to zero.
