LUCKNOW: Liquor shops in Lucknow and Ayodhya are likely to reopen from Thursday. A final call will be taken by the district magistrate and district excise officer on Thursday morning.
Sources in the Lucknow district administration said that if the shops are allowed to open, they would operate from 10am to 7 pm in light of the ongoing partial restrictions for Covid-19. The restrictions came into force on April 30 at 8 pm as part of the weekend curfew. Subsequently, the state extended the length of the lockdown on at least three occasions and the ongoing restrictions will end at 7 am on May 17. Shops in several districts have remained open during this period, though most are functional for limited time.
In Lucknow, sources said, canteens will not be permitted in any shop, including model shops. This means that one can only purchase at the shops and not consume liquor there. The proposed guidelines further say that liquor will not be sold to anyone who is not wearing a mask. People at the counter will also have to compulsorily wear masks and gloves.
A distance of six feet will have to be maintained between two customers. To ensure this, the shop owners will have to mark circles outside the shop. Adequate arrangements must be in place to ensure no crowding. Many shops in Lucknow had already started preparing for reopening, having put up barricades outside their shops to regulate crowds.
PHD Chambers of Commerce had requested the government to reopen liquor vends as they contribute about Rs 100 crore per day to the state’s coffers, an important source of revenue when the state needs all resources to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. It was also suggested that allowing sale from licensed vends would also reduce dependence on spurious liquor.
