Telangana High Court lifts 10 pm curbs on music in Hyderabad pubs

HYDERABAD: In a relief to the managements of pubs and similar establishments in the city, except pubs located in residential areas of Jubilee Hills, a division bench of Telangana High Court on Monday lifted the restrictions of not playing music after 10 pm.

On September 12, a single judge had passed orders stating that pubs allowing music after 10 pm was a violation of Noise (Pollution) Regulation Act. The judge had directed the police to take stringent action against all violators.

Pub-owners and the management association later filed appeals before a division bench objecting to the curbs that were imposed.

While dealing those appeals, the bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy, observed that the single judge extending the orders to all the pubs was not valid.

The plea before the single judge was that pubs, bars and restaurants in residential areas in and around Jubilee Hills were causing noise pollution till 2 am while patrons coming to the parking lot at that hour were causing hardship to the locals.

“When working hours and lifestyles are changing, one cannot stop such things. Moreover, Hyderabad is a city where youngsters come to work from across the country. So, in our opinion imposing restrictions on pubs is beyond the usual,” Chief Justice Bhuyan observed.

The bench said that it will hear the appeals along with the petitions before the single judge, by converting them into public interest litigations.

The matter was adjourned to November 17.