Telangana accords nod to extend timing of bars, liquor shops for New Year's eve

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], December 28 (ANI): Telangana government on Tuesday accorded permission to extend the timing of bars and liquor shops for New Year's eve.
The state government gave permission to the Director of Prohibition and Excise Department to permit license holders of bars, licensees of event permit managements and in-house licensees of Tourism Development Corporation to serve liquor up to 1 am on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1.
"Prohibition and Excise Department - Permission to sell/serve liquor by 2B (Bar), C1 (In-House), EP1 (Event Permit) and TD1 (In-House) licensees of Tourism Development Corporation up to 1 AM on the intervening night of December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022 to keep the A4 licenses (Retail shops) open up to 12 midnight of December 31, 2021 on the eve of New Years Day celebrations - Orders - Issued," reads the Telangana Revenue Department order.
Permission was also accorded to keep liquor shops open up to 12 midnight on December 31 on the eve of New Year in relaxation of the rules in vogue, subject to observance of Standard Operating Procedures, of COVID-19.
However, the Telangana government's order comes at a time when other States have been imposing restrictions and night curfew amid rising concern of Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Telangana on Monday reported 12 more Omicron cases, taking the total tally of the new variant in the state to 55. (ANI)