Since April 1 a large number of the bars, pubs and liquor shops across India has gone out of business, thanks to a Supreme Court order that the outlets should be at least 500m away from state and national highways.
BCCL
The verdict, like most of the states was a blow to the booze lovers in Kerala too. But what made the situation worse in state is there was already a ban in place, by which only three-star hotels and above are allowed to serve liquor.
BCCL
Most of the bars were then converted into beer and wine parlors, which were also forced to shut down after the SC order.
But a bar in Ernakulam district decide to make a way around it, literally!?
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The Aishwarya Bar in North Paravoor, a Kochi suburb has built a 250m-long maze-like walkway to the entrance, theoretically making it more than 500m away from the highway.
BCCL
"We have done nothing illegal. The plot behind the bar also belongs to the owner and we have constructed an extended way to reach the bar. Now it is 520 metres from the highway. We are set to approach the circle inspector of excise with the new route map to authorize the reopening of the bar," said Shiju P, bar manager.
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Even the excise officials admitted the move by the management is acceptable. A Vijayan IPS, additional excise commissioner said,?
"We do not measure the aerial distance but only the walking distance. However, they will be fined for altering the entrance."
BCCL
There is more... the bar is calling it Snehamathil (wall of love).?
According to the owners the 10m-wide walkway was completed in three days at a cost of about 1.5 lakh rupees.
While the move seems cheeky and innovative, the idea is not anything new.
In the 2002 Malayalam movie Chathurangam featuring Mohanlal, the hero, Jimmy does exactly the same thing when a bar owned by his friend was about to shut down as its entrance was within 100m of a place of worship.?
Like they say "necessity is the mother of invention!"