Goa to amend state highway act, move will give relief to liquor vendors

The Supreme Court order came into force from April 1 this year, affecting nearly 3,000 liquor outlets in the coastal state.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar assured the House on Tuesday that the state highway act would be amended to give relief to liquor shops, "which are located in city".

"If the House relaxes all the rules, then I am confident of bringing this state highway amendment on Monday," he said, adding, "the notification would be issued by the end of this month."

As per the proposed amendment, the highway will end at the start of the city and restart again where the boundary of the city ends, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said in the state Legislative Assembly last evening.

This will provide relief to the liquor shops, located in the cities, which are currently closed following the Supreme Court's order, he said.

"The State Highways Act would be amended to ensure that the roads passing through cities would no more be considered as highways," Parrikar said.

The Supreme Court had last year year banned liquor vends within 500 metres of national and state highways. However, the apex court had later modified its order, reducing the distance to 220 metres in areas having a population of up to 20,000.

The Supreme Court order came into force from April 1 this year, affecting nearly 3,000 liquor outlets in the coastal state.

The state government earlier tried to cushion the impact by denotifying a few highways which had alternate by-pass roads.

PTI