Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 1: As the ban placed by the Supreme Court on bars which were functioning within a distance of 500 metres from national highways came into force with effect from Friday midnight, all such bars and liquor outlets have downed their shutters. The Supreme Court, which came to the conclusion that presence of bars near national and state highways has been contributing to increase of accidents, had passed an order during February this year to close down outlets selling liquor which were located within a distance of half a kilometre from the highways.

In accordance with the said order, the state excise department had served notices to all such bars to either close down or shift to places that are farther than 500 metres from highways. The department has decided not to renew licences of those bars which do not shift their operations away from the highways within the prescribed time limit. The order is expected to put about 6,018 bars in a tricky situation.

The state government has moved review petition seeking changes in the said order of the Supreme Court. The same might be listed for hearing during the first week of this month. In an effort to save these bars, the state government has denotified stretches of several national highways passing through the state and sought approval of the government to its proposal to transform these stretches into urban local body roads. About 1,500 bars are located within 500 metres of highways measuring 854 km located in the state. As the centre is yet to take a decision on the state's plea, the bars which have not yet shifted their base have no other option but close down their businesses.

At the same time, about 3,000 bars are located near the state highways in Karnataka. However, as the state government took a decision to transform such state highways where the bars are located into urban local roads, they are saved from imminent closure. However, bars situated within 220 metres from panchayat roads in rural areas have been asked to close down.

Chief minister, Siddaramaiah, has requested union minister for highways and surface transport, Nitin Gadkari, to intervene in the matter and address this serious issue. However, the centre might require time to do something as such problems are common for all the states. It is said that till then, the minister has asked the states to strictly abide by the Supreme Court directive. The order also reportedly affects functioning of 138 bars and pubs located on M G Road and Brigade Road in the city as they are considered as highways.

Coastal districts

Excise departments of both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have geared up themselves to lock the outlets dealing in liquor located near the highways. About 173 such units in Dakshina Kannada and 230 in Udupi district face the axe. The court, depending upon the population criteria of the respective areas, has barred the bars from functioning within 220 metres of roads in rural areas and 500 metres in urban areas. The excise department had served notices on liquor shops, bars and wine shops near the highways to shut down or shift to farther areas before June 30 this year. As per information, these shops including restaurants and lodges serving liquor to customers have stopped dealing with liquor with effect from midnight on June 30. Outlets which also deal with non-vegetarian food are expected to be hard hit as their business is expected to come down sharply.

There are reports that in many places, people have opposed shifting of bars to inside rural areas from near highways. People working in bars face an uncertain future as most of them are uneducated and are not skilled in other jobs. Several bar owners, who have borrowed heavily to set up bars and restaurants and are trying to match the expenditure by doing good business, feel having been left in the lurch. Owners of some bars feel that their only means of income has been snatched away and they are faced with a huge burden of debt with no income to repay it.