Delhi: Restaurants, Hotels allowed to serve liquor; Bars to stay closed
In a letter dated August 16, the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) had written to the Delhi government’s excise department requesting for permission to serve liquor in restaurants in the city.
The Delhi government has allowed restaurants and hotels in the city to serve liquor to its patrons, however the bars will remain shut under the unlock guidelines issued by the Centre. While the Centre and the Delhi government had allowed restaurants to open from June 8, serving liquor was prohibited.
Deputy CM Manish Sisodia directed the excise department to issue “necessary permission” for service of liquor in the restaurants and hotels. The decision has been taken keeping the revenue implications in mind.
“Bars will remain closed under the provisions of unlock guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, several state governments, including Assam, Punjab, Rajasthan, etc, have permitted service of liquor by licence holders under the Excise Rule in the restaurants and clubs and in the hotel rooms.
Considering the revenue implications, the excise department issued necessary permission for service of liquor in the restaurants and clubs by licensees at the table and in the hotel rooms,” the order signed by Sisodia read.
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Restaurants in the city were allowed to operate from June 8, though with restrictions to ensure social distancing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
-PTC News
