The Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments have decided to request to the Supreme Court to stretch the deadline for moving bars and liquor shops located within 500 metres of national and state highways.

In December last year, an apex court order had forbidden liquor shops near the national and state highways from April 1 to end drunk driving. Due to this drunk driving, many major road accidents took place. A team of TS excise officials has now gone to Delhi to file a petition in the Supreme Court.

Andhra Pradesh excise commissioner M.K. Meena met Telangana excise department principal secretary G. Somesh Kumar two days ago. She wanted to know what Telangana government is thinking and how it will proceed.

Sources said "Mr Kumar told him about the government’s intention to move the apex court. The AP government later decided to file a similar petition. The licence period of bars and liquor shops ends by September in TS and June in AP. More than 1,000 bars and liquor shops have to be shifted in each state. The governments contend that they would lose revenue if the liquor outlets are shifted before the tenure ends."

Sources said "both governments wanted to inform the Supreme Court that the national and state highways which are passing through some cities and towns have become local roads after the building of ring roads and bypasses. The governments are drawing up a list of such roads. However, a petition filed by liquor shop owners in January seeking a one-year stay on the ban was rejected by the Supreme Court."

Naidu castigates Kiran for errant liquor policy

BY M. DIVYA SRI