Liquor not allowed to be served in hotels, restaurants in Delhi: Excise department

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Serving alcohol at bars in hotels, clubs, and restaurants in the city is not yet allowed, the Excise Department has clarified, stretching the wait for those counting the days till they can enjoy a drink at their favourite watering hole.

With a significant improvement in the COVID-19 situation in the national capital, liquor shops and restaurants that were closed after the imposition of lockdown in April have reopened now.

“Bars in the hotels, clubs, and restaurants are not allowed to open till further orders,” stated a clarification issued by the Excise Department of Delhi government on Monday.

All liquor shops in markets, malls, and market complexes (outside containment zones) are allowed to operate between 10 am and 8 pm, it said. The liquor vends in the city reopened in Delhi on June 6.

The clarification was issued in view of queries about bars in hotels, clubs, and restaurants after the Delhi government allowed restaurants to reopen from Monday, an official said.

The restaurants permitted to serve takeaways have now been allowed to run with 50% seating capacity on a trial basis till June 21.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in its order on Sunday stated that markets and restaurants will be under close watch for strict implementation of Covid appropriate behaviour and other guidelines.

If cases of coronavirus start increasing in the city, the restrictions may be clamped again, it said.

The DDMA also directed that liquor, pan, gutkha, tobacco should not be consumed in shops, malls, markets, market complexes, restaurants, and other such places.

A close watch and supervision will be maintained on the overall functioning of markets, market complexes, malls, and restaurants by district magistrates, DCPs, and other officers.

In case it is found that Covid appropriate behaviour is not being followed in the markets, market complexes, malls, restaurants and if the number of COVID-19 positive cases start increasing in Delhi, they will be closed without any loss of time, warned the DDMA.