Karnataka: Over 1,400-km stretch under state highways renamed by PWD as city roads

In a move that will help revive the sale of liquor in shops on highways in Karnataka, the Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a notification renaming 1,476.69 km of roads under state highways, which pass through urban local bodies (ULB), as city roads.

Thanks to this notification that was issued on June 13, the department has saved at least 3,200 liquor shops located on highways from closing down due to the Supreme Court order.

In December 2016, the Supreme Court had ordered that no establishment would be permitted to sell alcohol if it was within 500 metres of a national or state highway or at a distance less than 220 metres in towns having a population under 20,000.

This notification is not just welcome news for liquor traders, but even for excise officials, who can now meet their high revenue target of Rs 18,050 crore.

GOVERNMENT'S DEFENCE

Apparently, the decision has been taken in the interest of development and to facilitate civic work along the highways. According to sources, the ULBs can now easily take up civic work along and around the highways, without wasting time coordinating with the highway authorities.

When Law And Parliamentary Affairs Minister TB Jayachandra was asked how will ULBs manage to maintain these roads when they did not have sufficient funds for various infrastructure works, he said that the PWD would maintain roads, not the ULBs. He added that this was done to keep the roads in the best shape.

When Jayachandra was asked whether such steps were taken indirectly to save liquor shops, he added, "Maintaining roads and carrying out civic work along highways are the only reasons for the move."

OPPOSITION QUESTIONS STATE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION

Union Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation DV Sadananda Gowda is baffled at this decision of the state government.

He said, "The Centre brought in this legislation because they wanted to save lives, bearing in mind the innumerable accidents that take place due to drunk driving."

Jayendra wants the state government to review its decision. "What are they trying to gain? I really do not know what exactly is their agenda behind this. But this is totally unacceptable."

EXPERTS DIFFER ON WHETHER THIS MOVE IS VIABLE

Devika Kher, Policy Analyst with Takshashila Institution in Bengaluru, wonders how these ULBs will manage their finances. She is of the view that if these bodies are helped financially to maintain these extra roads, it's fine. But in case the ULBs are not provided financial aid, maintaining roads is an additional cost they will have to bear. The ULBs today are finding it tough to improve their sources of revenue generation and this might hamper whatever work they take up in the future. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which is already financially burdened, will now have to maintain close to 100 kilometres of the highways.

However, Pranay Kotasthane, a member of the teaching faculty at Takshashila Institution, has a very different perspective on this issue. He says, "This might be a blessing in disguise since finally roads in the city will be managed at the lowest level possible. The BBMP in Bengaluru needs to be self-reliant and the civic body can only do this by beginning to charge for many free services in the city."

He further added, "It is good that the state government has started thinking about how to empower local bodies so that the latter can do these tasks on their own and avoid literally going with a begging bowl to the state government."

Also read | Tamil Nadu: Protest against govt-run liquor shops spreads, revenue loss threat looms large

Also read | Kerala changes liquor policy, 3-star and above hotels can now serve booze

Also read | SC not to extend licenses of liquor shops on state, national highways for a year

ALSO WATCH VIDEO