The liquor ban that has engulfed most of the pubs, bars and hotels has also led to a dip in the one-day permits issued by the excise department. This year, the department has issued 48 licences between April 1 and April 24, compared to the 68 last year.
After the liquor ban, excise department officials have been keeping a vigil on various banquets and party destinations located in close proximity to the highway.
Besides keeping a check on the issuance of temporary permits or the L12A licence — required to serve foreign liquor — the fee for one-day permits for private parties has also been increased to Rs 10,000 from Rs 1,500.
The commercial establishments will have to register themselves and pay an annual fee of Rs 25,000, along with Rs 5000 for every function. The fee for private parties will remain Rs 10,000 per function.
Speaking to City Spidey, HC Dahiya, deputy excise and taxation commissioner (West), said, “We will keep a strict vigil on these establishments to ensure no one is serving liquor without a licence."