Chandigarh, August 29: After five months, the nightlife is all set to return to Sector 26 on Madhya Marg, Sector 43 and Sector 35 as the UT Administration has decided to renew the bar licences of hotels, restaurants, discotheques and clubs following the clarification issued by the Supreme Court last week.
The Administration issued an order for the renewal of licences after getting a legal opinion on the issue today. A majority of the hotels situated in Sector 26, 35 and 43 were closed since April after the Supreme Court banned serving of liquor within 500 metres from state and national highways in its order dated December 15, 2016.The clarification issued by the Supreme Court stating that the ban would not be applicable within the municipal limits has brought great relief to hoteliers.
However, this year, liquor vends will not be opened on sector roads as the places for these have already been notified in the excise policy announced in March. Sources said now owners would have to apply afresh for the renewal of their licences. The department would levy fees for the whole year on the owners, which has been hiked by approximately Rs 1 lakh since last year.
Vipul Dua, owner of Peddler Bar and Restaurant, said the decision had given them a new lease of life as their business had almost ended. He said he had shifted the bar to Elante Mall, but was now planning to return soon. Sector 26 was one of the major centres of nightlife with many discotheques and clubs. Some microbreweries had also shifted to the Industrial Area, which were now planning to restart business in Sector 26.
An owner of a microbrewery said he was happy that the decision had now come in their favour. He said they had invested a huge amount in Sector 26 and would start their business again. Gurvinder Juneja, secretary of the Chandigarh Hotel and Restaurant Association, said the business of approximately 90 hotels was badly affected in the past five months.
Arvinder Pal Singh, president of the Chandigarh Hotel and Restaurant Association, said hotels were forced to lay off approximately 5,000 employees.
Harman Sidhu, who fought the battle against the sale of liquor on highways, has opposed the move of the Administration to allow licences to bars and hotels within the MC limits. He said the SC orders “are to be read and understood in totality and implemented accordingly; action cannot be based on one line or section”.
Owners of hotels, restaurants and clubs flocked the excise and taxation office with applications for the renewal of their bar licences on Tuesday. The Chandigarh Press Club has also applied for the renewal of the licence. Liquor was stopped in the club as it was found to be situated within 500 metres from Madhya Marg.
With the decision of allowing bars, the rent and value of properties in Sector 26 will see a hike in the coming days. Jagdish Arora, a trader based in Sector 26, said after the ban on bars, the value of property witnessed a downward trend in the sector as the trade started shifting. Now, they were hopeful that the sector would once again resume its usual business.
Sourced from tribuneindia.com
