UP govt considering bars in Noida, Ghaziabad to stay open till 4 am

Bars in the two cities are allowed till 1 am now, whereas those in Gurgaon and Faridabad are permitted to stay open until 3 am

The Uttar Pradesh government is considering allowing bars in Noida and Ghaziabad to open until 4 am, aiming to boost excise revenue and nightlife.

Bars in Gurgaon and Faridabad in Haryana are permitted to stay open until 3 am and those in Noida and Ghaziabad till 1 am, according to a report in the Times of India (TOI) about cities that lie in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The Noida restaurant owners' association has requested permission from the authorities to extend bar operating hours until 4 am.

Representatives of the association have urged the excise department to consider extending bar hours until 4 am.

A committee comprising Excise Commissioner Adarsh Singh, Joint Director of Statistics Jogendra Singh and Deputy Excise Commissioner Alok Kumar is studying the possible impact of extending bar hours and will submit its findings within 15 days, the report said.

The objective is to assess the possible impact of extending bar operating hours and submit their findings within 15 days, the report said.

A letter issued by Adarsh Singh said, "Noida and Ghaziabad are part of NCR, and the per capita income of local people and economic activities are also similar to those in other NCR cities. In this context, it is important to explore new sources of revenue for the excise department. The committee is required to submit the report within 15 days."

In 2022, the Delhi government made a policy decision to extend the serving hours of liquor in bars until 3 am, aiming to enhance the vibrancy of the nightlife scene.

A senior government official stated that the government has provided directives to the Excise department, and an order under the Excise Policy 2021-22 is expected to be issued shortly. Around 550 restaurants in Delhi are authorised to serve Indian and foreign liquor upon obtaining an L-17 licence from the Excise department, the report added.