Hotel owners lose bar licence in McLeodganj

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 4

Having beer or liquor in the famous bars of McLeodganj could be a thing of past. The Excise Department has cancelled the bar licences of all major restaurants in famous McLeodganj square after the Supreme Court order to ban sale of liquor within 500 metres of the national highways.

As per records, national highway extends to the bus stand of McLeodganj. By this definition all the bars in McLeodganj tourist hub have become illegal.

Pankaj Chada, owner of the famous Mcleo restaurant in McLeodganj, said that banning bars in tourist hub would hit their business badly. “We the restaurant owners of McLeodganj have asked for written orders regarding cancellation of their bar licenses so that they can move court. However, till date the excise officials have not provided us the written copies”, he said.

Kishan, another restaurant owner from McLeodganj, said he had raised a loan of Rs 50 lakh to construct his restaurant and bar. “Now I have been told by the excise officials that bar licence cannot be given to me. My entire investment would go waste and do not know how to return the loan amount”, he said.

The road from Mataur to McLeodganj was declared a national highway in 2014 by the Union Ministry for Surface Transport.

Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner Kangra, Rakesh Bharti, said that they had cancelled all the bars and vends located along the national highways in Kangra district as per the Supreme Court order. “Regarding bars in McLeodganj we have cancelled the licences but have written to the state government seeking clarification regarding vends and bars located in the municipal corporation areas. In Kangra district we have not been able to auction vends worth about Rs 65 crores due to the Supreme Court order”, he said. Meanwhile, the hotel and restaurant owners of McLeodganj are contemplating moving Supreme Court to save their business.