1000 star hotels in Maharashtra hit by SC verdict on highway liquor ban

Mumbai: The liquor ban on highways has affected at least 1,000 star hotels in Maharashtra including the VIP Lounge at the domestic airport here, an official of Indian Hotel And Restaurant Association (AHAR) said on Sunday.

Maharashtra would be losing an estimated yearly revenue of Rs 7,000 crore in the wake of the Supreme Court order for shutting down from April 1 the liquor vends within 500 metres range of state and national highways, the government had said on Saturday.

According to a report in the Economic Times, the SC verdict on liquor ban is estimated to hit about 1 million jobs in the country.

"There are some 10,000 hotels and restaurants in Maharashtra which have stopped serving liquor since yesterday," AHAR president Adarsh Shetty said.

"But the worst hit are the hotels ranging from three to five star who have invested hundreds of crores. Around 1,000 such hotels are affected by the liquor ban," he said.

Many five star hotels are located near the domestic airport here and most of them are affected due to the order, he claimed.

The VIP lounge at the airport, which is used by private aircraft owners, has been also affected. All these places have stopped serving liquor, Shetty said.

Notably, the domestic airport in suburban Santacruz is located in the vicinity of the Western Express Highway.

"The star hotels are known for serving liquor in various forms like different types of cocktails. They get business from such service... the decision has affected the business model," he added.

The apex court had made it clear that the judgement banning liquor vends along highways would also be applicable to bars, pubs and restaurants as drunken driving leads to fatal road accidents.