Shutters down for 2000 bars on Bengaluru Highway

Around 2000 bars on highways in the State will shut down following Supreme Court order. License of 1,981 bars expired on Friday night, out of the 10,165 that had obtained license. 1476 km long highway in City limits has been denotified, saving 1600 bars from closure.

The expectations of the bar owners in the State that the Central Government would come to their rescue and save them from shutting down their businesses have been shattered. The Central Government does not want to go against the Supreme Court order that all bars and liquor shops within the 500 meters of Highways should be shut down. The time period set by SC was Friday, June 30 midnight and from Saturday around 2000 bars will not raise their shutters.

The State Government had issued license for 10,165 bars in 2016-17.  Of them the licenses of 1,981 bars along the highways have expired on Friday midnight. Hence they cannot operate from Saturday.  Excise Commissioner Rajendrakumar has said that all licenses that are not renewed will be seized. Also all bars within 500 meters distance from highways will be shutdown, reported Kannada Prabha.

With the closure of bars the State will incur a loss of around 18,050 crores. The State is waiting for the Centre to respond to its appeal to denotify highways in the City limits.

Around 1476 km long highway in the City and town limits has already been denotified by the State government and hence bars along these roads are safe.