Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Wednesday came out with revised guidelines for sanctioning new bar licences. As per the earlier liquor policy adopted in undivided Andhra Pradesh, in municipality or municipal corporations with a population of up to 3 lakh, one bar was permitted for every 30,000 people.
In places where the population was above 3 lakh and up to 7 lakh, one bar was allowed to come up for every 20,000 people, while in areas with a population of 7 lakh and above, there could be a bar for every 12,000 people.
In the revised policy, these slabs have been removed and only 13,000 population in GHMC limits and 30,000 population in the remaining areas will be considered.
The earlier policy was confined to Hyderabad limits, which now has been extended to Greater Hyderabad limits, covering the city’s outskirts. With this, new bars are expected to come up in the city’s outskirts, which have witnessed rapid urbanisation in the last 15 years.
Though the norm to extend bars to municipalities was incorporated in 2010 in undivided Andhra Pradesh, it was not enforced - except for allowing bars in major municipal corporations - following a backlash from Opposition parties and social organisations.
At present, there are nearly 370 bars under GHMC limits, which are expected to increase with the new policy.
New bar licenses shall be continued to be granted to restaurants run by three star and above category hotels located in GHMC / municipal corporations, municipalities, tourism centres and nagar panchayats without any restrictions.
