Kerala won't denotify highways to work around liquor ban

The apex court order has adversely affected the tourism sector in Kerala Maharashtra and Karnataka have denotified some highways to sidestep the apex court order  

The CPM-led government has taken a decision that it will not denotify the status of highways in the backdrop of the apex court order on liquor sale, public works minister G Sudhakaran told the Assembly. States such as Maharashtra and Karnataka have denotified some highways to sidestep the apex court order. 

"The state has not changed the status of any roads in the state to overcome the apex court order," the minister said while replying to a calling attention moved by Congress' M Vincent. 

The minister also said the National Highways Authority decides the status of old highways when a new NH becomes operational. Vincent had said that the Karamanna-Kaliyikavilla national highway, connecting Kerala and Tamil Nadu, has been made district roads to enable the opening of liquor shops. 

State excise minister TP Ramakrishnan informed the House that of the 1126 toddy shops closed following the Supreme Court order, 66 have been relocated and reopened. Efforts were also on to relocate the remaining toddy shops which remained closed due to the order, he said. 

The state government would take all necessary steps to protect the jobs of workers at toddy shops that have been affected due to the apex court order, he said, adding a meeting of toddy workers union and toddy shop owners would be convened to sort out the issues. Ramakrishnan said the apex court order had adversely affected the tourism sector.