Acting on complaints of citizens on noise pollution by restro-bars, the Delhi Government has instructed all of them to stop playing
recorded songs or music on their premises.
And violation by restro-bar management would attract strict action from the authorities. “Playing of recorded songs and music at such places is violation of laid down rules”, a Government official said.
The Government has directed that as per the Excise Rules of 2010, restaurants serving alcohol are allowed to hold only “live singing or playing of instruments” by professionals.
The move comes after the Delhi Excise department received a surfeit of complaints from local residents regarding “nuisance” created by several restro-bars in the city.
Many of the complainants lamented that loud music being played by the restro-bars was disturbing peace of their areas and impacting studies of their wards, the official said.
In the national Capital, there are thousands of restro-bars and most of them usually play recorded songs or music on their premises to entertain their customers and attract people.
Some of the restro-bars are being run in the residential areas. Residents have lodged their concerns with the top brass of the Delhi Excide department about it. Action has been initiated to put an end to it, said an official.
“l-17 (restaurants which serve food and alcohol) are only permitted for live singing and playing of instruments by professionals in their premises,” Delhi Excise Commissioner Amjad Tak told PTI.
According to the directions by the department, Rule 53 (4) of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010 states that the l-17 licensee is allowed only for live singing/playing of instruments by professionals.
In Delhi, there is no provision of separate licence for pubs. The licence-17 is issued by the Excise Department to those restaurants wanting to serve alcohol to their customers.
Another senior Government official said teams of the Excise Department visit restaurants serving alcohol and take action against those violating rules.
“During inspection, we ensure that all laid down rules are followed and if there is violation of any rule, the department takes strict action,” the official, who did not wish to be named, said.
According to the department, it received Rs 305.85-crore excise revenue in April this year while in the same month last year, the revenue was Rs 291.01 crore.
The department has set a target of Rs 5,200 crore from excise revenue in the current financial year. In the last financial year, it collected Rs 4,551.57 crore as excise revenue.