Ban on liquor: 1,900 liquor shops in Karnataka have only 24 hours to shut down

The Supreme Court has ordered prohibited sale of liquor within 500 m on National highways from July 30 A total of 340 liquor shops in Bengaluru City alone face a possible shutdown. The state government's effort to denotify National Highways with the Union Ministry of Road and Transportation has gone in vain

Pubs and bars on Central Business District in the city will have less than 24 hours to shut down as the Supreme Court order on sale of liquor near highways will come into effect from June 30.

As many as 340 waterholes on MG Road, Brigade Road, Queen's Road, Ambedkar Veedhi, JC Road, Cunningham Road, Race Course Road, Jayamahal Road and Ballari Road and also other parts of the city are facing possible shutdown as 45 km stretch the Bengaluru City connects with the National Highway. These liquor outlets have been asked to serve liquor only till June 30, midnight. The Supreme Court has prohibited the sale of liquor within 500 m of National Highways from June 30, reports Kannada Prabha.

The order will also affect 1,900 bars throughout the state that are also facing shutdown. Although, the state government had written to the Union Ministry of Road Transport to denotify 858 km stretch of national highway that passes through the City Municipal Councils, there has been no response yet from the ministry. In the absence of it, the State government is bound to implement the Supreme Court order and shut down the 1,900 liquor outlets.

Meanwhile, members of State Liquor Association are camping in Delhi since one week to meet ministers Ananth Kumar and Nitin Gadkari to urge them to take up denotification appeal by the state government and save their business. But the Ministry of Road Transport is reportedly under pressure from other states too to denotify highways. In this backdrop, it is highly unlikely that the state's request would be considered before the Supreme Court deadline, reports Kannada Prabha.

The state government had earlier denotified state highways that ran up to 618 km to save 1,600 bars that dot the stretch, after the Supreme Court order. But now, with less than 24 hours to implement the Supreme Court order, the bar owners are but helpless to shut down their businesses.