SC ruling on liquor shops along highway: Pune liquor outlets, bars likely to be exempted from closure

Pune: Liquor shops and bars located along a majority of highways in Pune are likely to be exempted from closure after Supreme Court's latest ruling on 'highway liquor ban'.

"Times of India' quoted an excise department officials saying that the municipal corporations have taken over the management of a majority of highways in Pune, and so the Supreme Court ban on sale of alcohol along national and state highways may not apply to such stretches.

As per officials, most of these stretches — including the Pune-Ahmednagar highway (a major hub of permit rooms, lounges and bars) — have been denotified over the years, and may therefore not even fall under the ambit of the Supreme Court ban.

However, it remains unclear that these stretches are being managed by the Pune Municipal Corporation or the PWD.

Ganesh Shetty, president, Pune Restaurants and Hoteliers Association (PRAHA), said, "PWD had told the excise department that almost 90% of the so-called highways in Pune city are not maintained by them, which is as good as these stretches being denotified."

However, sources in the Pune District Wine Merchants' Association said that liquor shops outside the city will be adversely affected by to the Supreme Court ruling. 

"Close to 90% of the liquor shops outside Pune city may have to shut shop," a source said.

Pune has issued over 2,398 alcohol licences with most of the shops lining the national and state highways. 

According to excise department officials, there are 264 wine shops in Pune district, 1,454 permit room bars, 583 beer shops and 297 country liquor shops. More than 80 per cent of these shops are located in the vicinity of highways that pass through the district.