Delhi govt directs clubs, restro-bars to share their locations using Google Maps

 The Delhi Excise Department has directed owners of clubs, restaurants, and hotels in the city to share the location of their establishments using Google Maps, a move aimed at preparing a digital database, officials said on Monday. The department said non-compliance with its directions will be viewed seriously. There are over 1,000 hotels, clubs, and retro-bars in the national capital with excise licenses to serve liquor to their customers. In written communication, the department has asked the establishments to send information relating to their location using longitude and latitude. An official said the move will also help to know the geographic locations of such establishments in a particular area.

"It is digitally easy to find location of clubs, hotels and restaurants in a particular area. If we have a digital database, we can take decisions accordingly. Such database can also be utilised for excise policy in the coming months," the official told PTI, adding that the move is part of excise reforms.

Another official said some areas have a sufficient number of clubs and restaurants, but there are also other areas where such establishments are not in good numbers. Last month, the government had constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) under Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to examine the current system of excise duty administration and the recommendations of an expert committee on a new excise policy. Health Minister Satyendar Jain and Law Minister Kailash Gahlot are part of the GoM.

It is examining all aspects of the current system of excise duty administration and will go through the report of the expert committee and the suggestions received from stakeholders and the public.

Last week, the department had warned clubs, hotels, and restaurants of strict action if they are found serving alcohol to customers from liquor bottles not bearing 2D bar-codes.