India, May 7 -- A sweeping overhaul of Haryana's excise policy has upended the state's BYOB (bring your own bottle) culture, with the government capping tavern (ahata) size to 1,000 square metres, banning live performances, and tightening visibility and licensing norms. The policy-approved last week by the state Cabinet-aims to crack down on rogue ahatas that had mushroomed in districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Sonipat, often operating like unlicensed pubs.

The changes have significantly impacted the region's nightlife economy, particularly in Gurugram, where several large ahatas-some spread over 25,000 square metres and built at costs exceeding Rs.15 crore-now face closure or major operational adjustments.According to the new polic...