Pubs and restaurants serving liquor in Gurugram will have the option to remain open 24/7 as part of the new liquor licensing policy announced by the Haryana government on Friday.
The new rules, which will come into effect from June 12, aim to counter the Capital’s excise policy which was released in November, under which bars and restaurants serving liquor can remain open till 3am, by allowing bars in the city to stay open till 8am as long as their owners pay the excise department an annual additional fee of ₹20 lakh, excise officials said. The new policy is also likely to bring down liquor prices as excise duty and value-added tax (VAT) on the sale of liquor has been reduced.VK Beniwal, deputy commissioner of excise and taxation, Gurugram (east), said, “We have tried to make the policy pocket-friendly so that more people can start their operations in the city. Gurugram is developing and more malls and commercial spaces are coming up here. People will have more options to open pubs, bars and restaurants now.”
