Gurugram, Jan. 2 -- Widespread open drinking and illegal parking was reported on Wednesday night by residents despite heavy police presence in Sector 29. During a spot check by HT on late Wednesday night, heavy crowd were seen outside several clubs and pubs in the area, which displayed boards saying they would remain open until 6am. At the central ground, many people were seen drinking openly, dancing to dhol beats and recording videos, while police patrolling teams did not intervene. To be sure, in Haryana, restrictions on open/public drinking and pub or bar operating timings flow mainly from the Punjab Excise Act, 1914 and the Haryana State Excise Policy issued annually. It states that consumption of alcohol in public places not covered by a valid excise licence is an offence under the Excise Act and attracts fines and possible prosecution. Dheeraj Saxena, a Gurugram resident, said, "The entire area was in chaos, with drunk people roaming around and shouting. Many were consuming alcohol like they were drinking water from the bottles. This created an unsafe environment even in the presence of the police. I was with my wife and child, so we decided to go elsewhere to celebrate." Riya Tiwari, who came with her friends from Delhi, said that they came to Gurugram since most of the places here are open overnight. "After stepping out of the restaurant, we felt really unsafe. Although the police officials were constantly patrolling, one still feels uncomfortable," she said. "At one section, which was the main entry and exit point, the streetlights were not working. Even though we were a group of five, we felt very uncomfortable," she added. Rakesh, a club staffer, said the club maintains proper security. "We have 3-4 bouncers to keep out anti-social elements and ensure safety inside," he said. Meanwhile, heavy barricading at the area's entry and exit points led to widespread illegal parking outside the nearby Leisure Valley Park. Limited designated parking spaces were already full, forcing many to park on pavements. "Around 200 police officers had come in at 3.30pm on Thursday to ensure safe and hassle-free celebrations," said assistant commissioner of police (East) Amit Bhatia. "No major incidents or scuffles broke out during the night, however, some miscreant elements who tried to intrude into the crowds were identified and disciplined," ACP said, adding that three to four personnel were deployed inside the pubs and bars for vigilance....