The Gujarat government has decided to partially relax its prohibition policy for visitors from outside the State by opening a special counter at the Ahmedabad domestic airport from where the air travellers will be issued a permit for buying and consuming liquor during their sojourn within the State.
The special counter, set up at the arrival terminal of the Ahmedabad airport, started functioning from Wednesday where a domestic air traveller on production of residential proof of having an address from any place outside Gujarat would be able to avail the permit on payment of fees. No question would be asked whether the visitor was coming to the State for business work or for pleasure trip provided he or she was not a resident of Gujarat.
"The step has been taken to remove the impediments that come in the way of encouraging tourism in the State," the tourism department secretary, Vipul Mitra, said. On the basis of the feedback of the functioning of the special counter at the Ahmedabad domestic section, the facility would later be extended to other airports in the State and the Ahmedabad international air terminal, he said.
