Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy on Tuesday refused to join issue with Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on her criticism against the government for not keeping her in the loop while approaching the Centre for de-notifying national highways as district roads.
“I will not comment on her criticism,” he said while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at the part office.
The Union Territory did not have power to de-notify the national highway and hence the government had approached the Centre, he said.
Mr. Narayanasamy said the closure of liquor shops on the national highway following a Supreme Court direction would certainly have an impact on revenue collection. As many as 164 shops were closed in the Union Territory.
₹740 crore revenue
The government earned ₹740 crore revenue from sale of liquor. The closure of the outlets would bring down excise collection, he said.
The government had approached the Union Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways keeping in mind an existing rule that if there was a parallel highway, the national highway can be de-notified and declared as district road.
The Chief Minister said he was hopeful of getting a favourable response from the Ministry.
