States can reclassify national highways as city roads
NEW DELHI: Following the Supreme Court’s ban on selling alcohol along highways, states are free to reclassify highways passing through cities as major district roads, top government officials said, adding that the road ministry has no plan as of now to convert portions of national highways into city roads. The Supreme Court banned restaurants and hotels located within 500 metres of state and national highways from selling liquor, a move that could cause losses for the hospitality and the food and beverages industry.
The ruling prompted some state and civic authorities to consider denotifying highways to skirt the ban. The road ministry officials said there is no plan to move the Supreme Court for a review of the order because the original idea of banning the sale of alcohol along national highways was mooted by the Centre almost a decade ago. “The original policy said that no vend should be given licence within 100 metres of national highways. This policy wasn’t to be implemented for national highways crossing cities,” an official said.
However, the Supreme Court said excluding segments of national and state highways that fall within the limits of municipal or local authorities would only defeat the policy.
“We have no plan to either denotify portions of national highways nor do we plan to move court. States are free to denotify portions of their highways passing through cities,” a senior roads ministry official said.
States including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Maharashtra and the Union Territory of Chandigarh have moved ahead on denotifying state highways as city roads to minimise the impact of the Supreme Court order, which will shut several thousand bars along highways and lead to job losses across the country.
The official said that some states had consulted the road ministry on denotifying portions of national highways, although none has put in a formal request. The official said it wasn’t feasible to denotify national highways because it would be almost impossible for states to maintain and manage such portions of national highways on their own.
The ruling prompted some state and civic authorities to consider denotifying highways to skirt the ban. The road ministry officials said there is no plan to move the Supreme Court for a review of the order because the original idea of banning the sale of alcohol along national highways was mooted by the Centre almost a decade ago. “The original policy said that no vend should be given licence within 100 metres of national highways. This policy wasn’t to be implemented for national highways crossing cities,” an official said.
However, the Supreme Court said excluding segments of national and state highways that fall within the limits of municipal or local authorities would only defeat the policy.
“We have no plan to either denotify portions of national highways nor do we plan to move court. States are free to denotify portions of their highways passing through cities,” a senior roads ministry official said.
States including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Maharashtra and the Union Territory of Chandigarh have moved ahead on denotifying state highways as city roads to minimise the impact of the Supreme Court order, which will shut several thousand bars along highways and lead to job losses across the country.
The official said that some states had consulted the road ministry on denotifying portions of national highways, although none has put in a formal request. The official said it wasn’t feasible to denotify national highways because it would be almost impossible for states to maintain and manage such portions of national highways on their own.
