State excise department takes action against 100 plus rooftop hotels in Pune
By: Pune Pulse
September 16, 2023
Pune: The State Excise Department has been cracking down on rooftop hotels in Pune for a few months now.
As per official data & information shared by Yuvraj Shinde, Deputy Superintendent, State Excise Department, action has been taken against 112 rooftop hotels in Pune district for violating various rules from April to September 2023.
It is worthy to note that from April 2022 to March 2023, the Excise Department had taken action against 173 rooftop hotels for violating many rules.
Also, for selling liquor illegally, in Pune district, where liquor license has not been issued or approved and still liquor is sold on rooftop hotels outside the licensed room premises, under the Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules 1953 as well as the Maharashtra Prohibition Act 1949, crime is registered against such hotels. According to this directive, departmental discrepancy offenses have been registered against a total of 23 rooftop hotels since April 2023.
A proposal has been submitted to the District Collector of Pune asking if check is being kept on how liquor selling is allowed on rooftops/terraces/in open spaces in hotels without a license. In this regard, the state excise department has frequently received complaints.
Therefore, as there seems to be confusion among the citizens in the matter, they are hereby informed that the FL-3 (Licensing Room) license issued by the State Excise Department is a secondary license and, as per the provisions of the Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules, 1953, where the Food and Drug Administration FL-3 license is granted at the same place only after obtaining shop act license and all other permissions from the department.
Hence, the State Excise Department has urged that if there is evidence of the unauthorized sale of liquor in rooftop hotels, it must be reported immediately at this email ID [email protected] or on this contact number 020 – 2612 7321 after which immediate action against such license will be taken.
