Restaurant owners seek Delhi govt’s permission to serve liquor

Restaurants in the city were allowed to operate from June 8, though with restrictions, to ensure social distancing and other precautionary measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19

Two months after restaurants were allowed to reopen, restaurant owners are demanding that they be allowed to serve liquor in the national capital. The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has written to the Delhi government’s excise department in this regard.

Staff sanitise a restaurant in New Delhi. (PTI)

Restaurants in the city were allowed to operate from June 8, though with restrictions, to ensure social distancing and other precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

While business is gradually picking up, owners say the sale of liquor in restaurants will help them make up for their losses as they are operating on about 50% occupancy to ensure social distancing.

In its letter dated August 16 to the excise commissioner, NRAI wrote that retail sale of liquor was one of the first few activities to start in all states and requested the government to de-link liquor service in restaurants from the generic term ‘bars’.

While the Union ministry of home affairs allowed restaurants to operate in June, the sale of liquor in bars was prohibited.

“People are anyway buying liquor from retail stores. It makes no difference whether guests consume alcoholic beverages or coffee along with food at a restaurant. People come to restaurants to have a good time and permission to serve liquor will help us cut losses,” said Manpreet Singh, the owner of Zen restaurant in Connaught Place and the treasurer of NRAI.

Singh says that business will increase if the liquor service is allowed. According to restaurant owners, currently business is just 10-20% during weekdays and 45-55% during weekends of what it was during pre-Covid times .

“With liquor service in restaurants, other sales will also pick-up. We will be able to employ more people,” said Singh.

The Union ministry of home affairs has prohibited ‘bars’ from reopening in its Unlock guidelines. NRAI members say that dine-in restaurants are being unfairly clubbed with bars.

The association has cited Punjab and Rajasthan governments’ decisions to push their case. “The Punjab government had allowed restaurants to serve liquor in June, while the Rajasthan government allowed it recently. The Union home ministry guidelines have prohibited ‘bars’. Dine-in liquor service in restaurants should be removed from the prohibited list,” said Prakul Kumar, secretary general, NRAI.

When contacted, a senior official with the excise department said that the Delhi government is strictly following the MHA’s guidelines regarding the pandemic. The official, requesting anonymity, said that there is no concept of a stand-alone bar in the capital.

“A liquor licence is given to a restaurant, which has all the necessary approvals from various government authorities. There is no concept of stand-alone bars in Delhi. As of now, there is no plan to allow restaurants to serve liquor as we are strictly adhering to the MHA guidelines which prohibits serving liquor in bars,” said the official.

Demanding that dine-in restaurants be de-linked from ‘bars’, NRAI has suggested that some additional guidelines such as keeping the bar counter closed, serving liquor with food, etc can be included while granting permission.

“The restaurant industry is has been hit the worst due to the pandemic, and is fighting for survival. If liquor service is allowed, it will help restaurants recover quickly and contribute to the overall economic revival,” said Kumar.

Dr Jugal Kishore, the head of community medicine at Safdarjung Hospital, said, “It is about time we normalise all kinds of services, including restaurants. The sale of liquor is already allowed in retail. People are well aware about the health hazards of liquor consumption, so let people decide if they want to consume alcoholic beverages or not.”