UDUPI: A bar owner in Ajekar village in Karkala taluk who came up with a clever idea to boost his liquor business, had to face disappointment due to red tape. The owner of Rachana Bar and Restaurant on Market Road in Ajekar on Monday tried a new marketing strategy by hiring an auto rickshaw to ferry his customers to and fro from the state highway to his bar free of cost. This he planned as his business was hit after the Supreme Court passed the landmark order last year, banning sale of liquor within 500 metres along national and state highways.
After the rule came into force, Naveen, the owner of Rachana Bar and Restaurant shifted his business from highway side to Market Road. The current location of the bar is about 550 metres away from the state highway which complies with the rule. But Naveen was worried as business was hit after he shifted his bar from the main road.
This idea of ferrying his customers in an auto rickshaw free of cost and dropping them back to the main road came up over a glass of the foamy spirit. Naveen wasted no time and engaged an auto rickshaw for the purpose on Monday. In his spirit for improving his business he even placed a banner on that auto rickshaw promoting his service.
Within half an hour, cops from Ajekar police station arrived and warned Naveen to remove the banner or face action. Rosario D’Souza, sub-inspector of Ajekar police station told TNIE that he warned Naveen that his idea was in violation of Karnataka Excise Act, he said. Soon, Naveen he removed the banner and stopped his ‘free service’, Rosario D’Souza added. Sudhir Kumar, excise inspector from Ajekar told TNIE that an FIR has been booked against Naveen as per the provision under Karnataka Excise Licenses (General Conditions) Rules, 1967 and FIR has been filed before the Karkala court, he added.