Rooftop restaurants at star hotels can now serve liquor

State excise department will accept applications for liquor licences

MUMBAI : Star hotels in Mumbai and across the state will now be able to serve liquor on the establishments’ rooftops. The state home department on Thursday issued a government resolution (GR) clearing a rooftop policy and liquor licences for these star hotels.

Currently, rooftop restaurants at star hotels do not have the licence to serve liquor. The newly-cleared policy streamlines liquor licences and regulates the permissions for rooftop restaurants in the state, senior bureaucrats said. “We do not want restaurants to come up in a haphazard manner. Our stress is on compliance with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) policy. Only star hotels -- three star, four star and five star -- can apply for such liquor licences,” said an official.

According to senior bureaucrats, the state has gone ahead with allowing liquor licences in conjunction with the BMC’S policy which does not allow individual restaurants the licences. Star hotels which have already complied with BMC’S rooftop policy and have secured a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department, can apply for licences to serve liquor in luxury lounges and terrace restaurants.

“The rooftop restaurants which have been given an NOC from the BMC’S health department for hygiene and eating, as well as an NOC by the fire department will be considered [for the liquor licence]. We do not want it [rooftop restaurants] on any commercial place or institutional buildings. The entire building has to be a hotel,” said Valsa Nair Singh, principal secretary, state excise department.

The state , according to the GR, has also streamlined the licensing procedure and introduced a “composite” licence, which covers all its restaurants, lounges and cafes. “The idea is to make the licencing easier and streamline it. Composite licences will make the whole process of licencing much smoother as you are going to maintain a record of single licence now. It will help the department as well as the clients,” she said.

The applicant will have to pay fees for all licences to serve liquor in its restaurants, cafes and lounges, she added. Poolside restaurants and banquets are not included in the composite licence.