Gujarat eases liquor norms, tourists to get permit on arrival at airport

HIRAL DAVE – Gandhinagar

Gujarat state government has done away with the lengthy procedure to get liquor permits for the tourists making it easy for them to drink in Gujarat.

Realising that the prohibition laws were becoming a deterrent, the new rule allows tourists landing in Gujarat to get their drinking permits at the time of arrival at airport itself. Earlier, the formality ended at the respective police headquarters.

Even for domicile consumers, who have liquor licence on health ground, the annual income limit of INR 3 lakh as a requirement, will be applicable only to first-timers and not renewals. That simply means, number of existing 50,000 permit holders do not tend to lose the licence in case they fail to produce mandatory income slab certificate.

“Now, tourists can get necessary forms and file it along with the permit fee at the airport itself with officials of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL),” said Milind Torvane, additional secretary (prohibition and complaints, Home Department).

“While the forms were available at TCGL outlets in airport, tourists were still required to visit police headquarters to submit the fee of INR 70 to complete the formalities, making facility at airport quite pointless,” the official said. The tourist drinking permit is valid for seven days.