Telangana Govt extends liquor sale timings for New Year celebrations
Hyderabad: In view of the New Year celebrations, the Telangana government has extended the operating hours for bars, wine shops, restaurants, and events across the state.
For New Year’s Eve on December 31, the government has issued a directive allowing the sale of liquor until 1 a.m. on December 31. Bars, restaurants, events, and tourism development corporation hotels will be permitted to serve alcohol until 1 a.m. that night. Wine shops, on the other hand, will remain open until 12 p.m. on December 31.
The state government has also issued instructions to ensure that no drugs are used during the celebrations and to prevent the sale of liquor from other states. Additionally, events and parties within the Greater Hyderabad limits will be under strict surveillance.
The order, issued by Excise Enforcement Director Kamalasan Reddy, also highlighted the importance of precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incidents during the festivities.
The Telangana Excise Department had previously announced plans to deploy 30 to 40 special teams across the GHMC limits to monitor the use of non-duty paid liquor and drugs during the New Year celebrations. The departmentโs primary focus will be to curb the import and consumption of liquor from unauthorised sources.
Special vigilance teams have been instructed to take action against anyone found using non-duty paid liquor or drugs. Strict measures will be enforced against individuals consuming narcotics, including cocaine, MDMA, LSD, marijuana, hashish oil, and other substances. The accused will be charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Excise personnel will conduct inspections in areas where authorised liquor consumption is permitted, including pubs and bars. The department has also provided special drug detection kits to assist inspection teams. Suspected individuals will be tested, and legal cases will be filed if the tests return positive.
Raids will focus on areas known for the illegal sale of drugs, including Nanakramguda, Dhoolpet, and other locations within Hyderabad under GHMC limits. The enforcement efforts will be intensified through December 31.
V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, Director of Enforcement, Prohibition, and Excise, stated that the department is closely monitoring the situation and will take strict action against those violating the law during the New Year celebrations.
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ช๐ฎ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐๐๐ซโ๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐
The Telangana government has extended liquor sale timings for New Yearโs Eve. Bars, restaurants, and events can serve alcohol until 1 a.m. on Jan 1, 2025, while wineโฆ pic.twitter.com/tT0OGvohS8
โ Hyderabad Mail (@Hyderabad_Mail) December 28, 2024
