New Year Party: Pubs and Bars to Close at Midnight, 16 Teams to Maintain Vigil

Teams will be active from 11 PM and will keep a close watch on bars, pubs, hotels, dhabas, and outer areas until late at night.

New Year Party: The Excise Department has decided to exercise special vigilance to prevent illegal activities related to alcohol during New Year celebrations and to maintain peace and order. On the night of December 31, the city has been divided into two zones, East and West, with a total of 16 surveillance teams deployed. These teams will be active from 11 PM and will monitor bars, pubs, hotels, dhabas, and peripheral areas until late at night.

The department has made it clear that action will be taken against the concerned operators if bars and pubs are found open after 12 AM on the night of December 31. Cases will be directly registered in instances of organising alcohol parties without permission, illegal sale, or serving.

10 Temporary Licenses Issued

Surprise inspections will be conducted in hotels, dhabas, bars, and pubs throughout the day and night. The department has issued approximately 10 temporary licenses for one-day alcohol parties. The department has been conducting a three-day inspection campaign.

Excise Controller Devesh Chaturvedi stated that to keep the investigation process fair and transparent, the work areas of the officers have been changed. Circle officers from the Eastern Zone have been deployed to the Western Zone, and officers from the Western Zone have been deployed to the Eastern Zone. The Excise Department has arranged for live monitoring of bars and pubs through CCTV from the control room. All bars and pubs have been connected to the control room, where a special team will be monitoring.

Bars, pubs, and farmhouses found operating late into the night will be inspected by the teams. All liquor shops and establishments will be permitted to operate only within the prescribed time limits, and strict action will be taken for any violation of rules. Abhishek Tiwari, Assistant Commissioner, Excise