BENGALURU: ‘One for the road’ will soon be a thing of the past. For instance, tech-hub Electronic City might soon find its bars and pubs shutting shop or shifting elsewhere. This is because several establishments along the Chennai-Bengaluru Highway, popularly known as Hosur Road, will have to close as per the apex court direction. Similar fate awaits other bars and restaurants, pubs and MRP outlets along other Highways.
In December 2016, the Supreme Court ordered that no establishment would be permitted to sell alcohol if it was within 500 metres of a national or state highway.
Establishments along Tumakuru Road and Bellary Road, both National Highways, are yet to have any clarity on whether their establishments will be allowed to operate after June 30 — when the licence period of all liquor vendors ends. However, some States implemented the ban in April itself.
According to a representative of a 5-star hotel along Tumakuru Road, they will wait till June 20 for all the confusion around the issue to clear. Though the five-star hotel sits along the Highway, the representative said that they had applied for renewal of their licence. “There is no clear black and white document as of now regarding what we are supposed to do,” he said.
Adding to the confusion is the manner in which the Excise Department has served notices across the four excise districts in Bengaluru Urban district.
While bars along Hosur Road, a highway, have been directed to shut down, others in different excise districts in the city are not sure of their fate. Bar owners, meanwhile, have pinned their hopes on the State government.
Apart from the logistics involved in shifting, owners complained about the difficulty in finding commercial space for rent even if they decide to shift.
Rajkumar Reddy, who owns an MRP outlet at Bommanahalli along Hosur Road, told Express that the local excise officials have served notices to two of the five bars owned by their family. “While we are forced to relocate the shop at Bommanahalli, we are awaiting the state government decision on the MRP outlet along Bannerghatta Road, which is a State Highway,” he said.
Lakshman R, who also owns a bar on Hosur Road, listed the difficulties involved in shifting. “It requires brand new infrastructure. While my old outlet cost Rs 30,000 rent, the new shop near BTM — where I am shifting to — will cost Rs 1 lakh in rent alone,” he said.
According to Lokesh, president of Bengaluru District Wine Merchants Association, the notices are served randomly. Pointing out that no notices have been served along Tumakuru Road and Ballari Road, he said that in some areas bars have been asked to close, even though they are not near any highway. “Claiming that Mysuru Road starts from Chamarajapet, a few bars near the area have been served notices,” he said.
He blamed the “lack of information” and coordination between different departments for the confusion. “It appears that Excise officials are not aware where National and State Highways begin or end,” he added.
The major state and national highway stretches in Bengaluru include Poona-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Chennai, Bengaluru-Mangaluru, Bengaluru-Hyderabad, besides state highways, which include Bengaluru-Mysuru, Yelahanka-Kudumalakunte, and Kanankapura-Bengaluru-Pavagada.
400 stores to down shutter in Belagavi
Some 400 liquor shops near national and state highways in Belagavi district will soon have to shut shop. A total of 650 bars have their licences issued by the Excise Department in Belagavi.
According to sources, the ban will hit liquor shops and bars from Bachi Raichur Highway (near Shankam) to Ashok Circle, Sangolli Rayanna Circle, Chenamma Circle and Club Road. Bars in Camp Fish Market, Khanapur Road, Peeranwadi and near Khanapur will also be affected as they are on NH 4A.
‘We didn’t get notices’
Come July, 199 liquor shops in Hubballi will have to down their shutters. A majority of them (179) are in Hubballi-Dharwad. A senior official in the excise department said notices have been issued to liquor shop owners, informing them that June 30 will be their last day of business. “If they fail to relocate, they have to surrender their licences. They can renew it after relocation by paying a fee,” the official said.
However, bar owners say they have not received any such notice. Hubballi Bar and Hotel Owners’ Association president Srikant Habeeb said they have no option but to comply but added there has been no notice from the government.
No one wants to move
Of the 82 liquor stores and bars in Tumakuru city corporation limits, only 15 will survive. These 15 are alongside railway tracks, in residential areas and on the busy Mahatma Gandhi Road.
On July 1, as many as 67 shops will be shut down if they fail to relocate. But looks like nobody wants to relocate. Deputy Superintendent of Excise, J Giri, said, “If they want to relocate, they need to apply for a permission. So far no one has approached us in this regard.”
Yadunath, an owner of two bars, said, “Who will come for a drink if we relocate to a secluded place? We will loose out on business.”
A big blow to outlets in coastal areas
The coastal area is the second largest consumer of liquor in the state after Bengaluru. The highways NH 75 (towards Bengaluru), NH 66 (towards Mumbai) and NH 169 towards Kolhapur are dotted with bars and liquor stores.
Former general secretary of the Wine Merchants’ Association of Dakshina Kannada, Sundar Shetty said, “Licences to run liquor outlets and bars near highways are cheaper. Now, if the traders have to move 500m away from the highway (as per the rule), they have to pay heavier fees.”
However, some have taken the court decision well. Sudhakar Shetty, a licence holder on Kalladka near NH 75, says he will now shut his liquor business and open a restaurant instead.
Tourism in heritage city to take a beating
The industry that will take the most beating in Mysuru will be tourism. As many as 236 liquor outlets will have to face the brunt, of which some 150 are in Mysuru city.
On NH 275 alone (Bantwal to Bengaluru city), there are 106 liquor shops. There are 60 more in neighbouring Mandya district. All these will have to shut.
State Hotel Owners’ Association president Rajendra said the hotels will suffer as they have made huge investments in liquor licences. It will be almost impossible for them to shift elsewhere. Also, it is the small liquor shops from where most people buy alcohol, he said. There are also many clubs on NH 766 towards Kozhikode. But with the clubs going dry too, these will be less attractive to people in Mysuru city.