MARGAO
It’s official. Bars and liqour outlets located in the heart of the commercial capital, right from Ambaji to Khareband, and Comba to Aquem, including the dozens of outlets dotting along the busy station road, now faces closure as per the Supreme Court order.
Excise officials have confirmed that only those bars and liqour outlets along the Borda road (after St Joaquim Chapel), Agalli, Aquem (from Santosh Garage), right up to the Gogol junction and Moti Dogor may survive. So also the couple of outlets around the Rawanfond area on the southern side of the Rawanfond bridge.
Salcete Excise Inspector Chandranath Desai told The Goan on Wednesday after capping the survey of bars and liqour outlets that roughly around 620 establishments will face closure in Salcete taluka from April 1. “The survey report is in possession of the Salcete mamlatdar, who is expected to submit the same to the Excise commissioner in a day or two,” he said.
The Excise official said that baring a bar or two, almost the entire Comba area will be free of any bar or liqour outlet. Pajifond area also faces a similar situation with the state highway, starting from Lohia Maidan, passes through Aquem to the Power house junction via Costa grounds. “During survey, we have realised that the entire station road, starting from New market to the railway station, falls within the 500 meter radius from the NH-17 and the state highway. Accordingly, almost all the liqour outlets located along the road are expected to face closure,” Desai added.
The only safe zone where liqour outlets may survive is the Borda road, starting from St Joaquim Chapel till the Gogol junction, excise officials said. “Aquem will also be hit hard. Barring the area from Santosh Garage right up to Gogol, outlets located around the remaining portion of Aquem will be affected,” the Excise inspector added.
The situation is no different in the southern part of the city, beyond the railway line. Excise officials pointed out that bars and establishments along the Khareband road from the flyover towards the Khareband bridge, faces closure. “The 500 meter radium from the flyover extends meters ahead of the Khareband bridge. Accordingly, all the bars dotting along the Khareband bridge road will face closure,” he said.
Similarly, bars and outlets along the Rajendra Prasad stadium road from the flyover will be hit by the SC order. “I have been informed that the 500 meter radius from the flyover extends right up to the Rajendra Prasad stadium,” Desai added.
