Pubs & bars on Bengaluru 'highways' in downtown face closure

BENGALURU: With no resolution in sight, threat of closure looms large for the city’s pubs and bars falling within 500m of roads notified as National or State Highways. Just a day remains for the July 1 deadline after which all the licenses of bars and pubs will expire and the retail outlets will have to either function without serving liquor or rel

"All the pubs and bars in the city's downtown, including the upscale M.G. Road, Brigade Road and Church Street have to shut down from July 1, as per the apex court order if the state government fails to get the central government denotify the central business district from the national highways list," Karnataka State Hotels' Association General Secretary Madhukar Shetty said.

The excise department formally issued notices on June 22 to all bars and pubs in deference to a Supreme Court order that bans the sale of alcohol within 500 metres vicinity of state and national highways. These bars and pubs are told to stop selling alcoholic beverages from the midnight of June 30.

“We have issued notices to 644 bars, pubs and star hotels in Bengaluru to stop selling liquor from June 30 midnight. I have no information on the total number of bars, pubs and restaurants to be affected by this order,’’ Karnataka State Excise Department Joint Commissioner (Distilleries & Breweries) Rajendra Prasad said.

According to the owners of bars and pubs on MG Road, Church Street and Brigade Road, corporates have stopped booking halls to organize parties and get together functions at their bars and pubs in the CBD area.

According to reliable sources, National Highways (NH) 44, 75, 209, 275, 4 and 7 branches out in six directions from the General Post Office in the CDB area.

“The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will not be affected if bars, pubs and restaurants are closed in deference to the Supreme Court order since the revenue in form of trade licence fee is nominal,’’ BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunatha Prasad said.