Remove roadside bars: Kerala HC
KSBC submits that 136 of its shops are functioning on National Highways
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-11-11 04:52 GMT
Kochi: The Kerala High Court has asked the state government to shift the retail outlets of Kerala State Beverages Corporation from the national and state highways as also their service roads to some other places in the light of traffic accidents and public nuisance.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A.M. Shaffique on Monday passed this order while considering the petitions filed by advocate K.P. Muhammed and others against a Bevco outlet on the NH at Kulasekharapuram.
Counsel Sreedevi Kylasanath submitted that the liquor outlets on highways often led to accidents due to drunken driving and irresponsible parking.
The bench said the state government was duty-bound to ensure that the shops are located at a considerable distance from the national and state highways. The court also directed the state to file a statement regarding the steps taken within three weeks.
The KSBC submitted that its 136 shops are functioning on NH and state highways in the state. Of this, 67 shops are located near NH and 69 near state highways. It also submitted that any ban on the running of FL-1 shops on NH side would adversely affect the business of the corporation.
Its sale is done in sealed bottles and no consumption is permitted on the premises and hence holding the shops responsible for accidents is not correct. It, however, said shifting of bar hotels on highways would reduce accidents.
The court also pointed out to the Justice Ramachandran commission recommendation that outlets are not to be permitted to function very near to NH or SHs where there is density of traffic.