Nearly half of the existing liquor outlets in undivided Dakshina Kannada district will close down on Saturday following the Supreme Court ban on their functioning within 500 m of national highways and 220 m of State highways.
About 350 such outlets out of the total 835 in the two districts (Dakshina Kannada and Udupi) would have to close down as the Excise Department is not renewing their licences. Dakshina Kannada has 463 licensed outlets and Udupi 372.
The twin districts have a wide network of national highways and State highways, including National Highway 66 (Yedapalli-Panvel), National Highway 75 (Mangaluru-Bengaluru), National Highway 169 (Mangaluru-Solapur via Moodbidri, Karkala), National Highway 169A (Malpe-Tirthahalli via Udupi, Agumbe) and many more. Flanks of these highways have witnessed rapid urbanisation even as liquor outlets have come up in such places catering to the increased population.
In fact, the State government’s recent decision to de-notify stretches of State highways passing through urban areas as urban roads have helped some liquor outlets to continue in business. It is said that about 52 such outlets have missed the axe in and around Mangaluru.
Of the 463 liquor outlets in Dakshina Kannada, the State government has agreed to renew licences of 254. Similarly, of the 372 outlets in Udupi district, the government has allowed renewal of licences of 270 outlets. The 351 liquor outlets, which have failed to get clearance for renewal, have to close down now.
Convenor of Dakshina Kannada Liquor Vendors Association Rajgopal Rai said that a large number of liquor outlets near the national highways in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi will be closed down.
“We have been assured of de-notification of national highway stretches in the next three months. We are closing down for the time being with the hope of resuming business a few weeks later,” Mr. Rai said.
Meanwhile, Mangaluru Deputy Commissioner (Excise) Kurshida Begum said that the department is renewing licences of liquor outlets whose applications were allowed by the State government. She said that some outlets, which were functioning near national highways, were relocating.
