Maharashtra explores way to bypass SC booze ban

Mumbai: In the wake of Supreme Court banning the sale of liquor in shops and hotels within 500 metres of national highways on Thursday, the Maharashtra government has immediately found a way to protect the interest of the shop owners. Referring to a notification that was issued on June 9, 2011, state excise minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that, on the request of local civic bodies, the state government could denotify national and the state highways. The civic bodies have no norms for the sale of liquor along the roads under their jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court’s directions are aimed at reducing drunk driving accidents. As per the orders, the licences of shops that are within 500 metres of national highways will not be renewed after March 31, 2017.

While expressing respect for the apex court’s judgment, Mr Bawankule said the state stood to lose an estimated Rs 7,000 crore in revenue. He added that out of 25,513 shop’s licences, the state would cancel 15,699. “In compliance of the Supreme Court’s orders, all licences of liquor shops within a radius of 500 metres from highways, which are not renewed before December 31 2016, will be cancelled. It’s an estimated revenue loss of Rs 7,000 crore; but it’s a Supreme Court order and we will comply with it. We will find some alternative to increase our revenue,” the minister said.

At the same time, he mentioned notifications that were issued in 2001 and 2011 that would allow the municipal corporations and similar civic bodies to take possession of highways.

“As per a notification of the public works department, a local civic body, if it has a bypass road, can take possession of the national highway. We can denotify national or state highways in this process,” Mr Bawankule said, hinting that the civic body does not have any fixed norms.