Bengaluru pubs, bars to stay open until 2 am on Jan 1

Hotels, recreation clubs, bars and restaurants in the city can remain open until 2 am on January 1 for New Year's celebrations. 

Bengaluru Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said in a statement on Monday that all alcohol outlets, except those under the CL-2 Category (wine and liquor shops), can stay open for another hour on New Year's Day by taking permission from the Excise Department. This has been the standard practice in Bengaluru in the past. 

Rao, however, made it clear that the establishments must take the necessary precautions to maintain public order and not inconvenience the public at large by playing loud music. 

A senior official in the Excise Department said except for Koramangala, Indiranagar and the CBD, there were fewer applications elsewhere for an extension in the timings. He attributed this to people's preference for holding New Year parties indoors. The department has received a mere eight applications from the eastern division, he added. 

The official said there was a provision in the Karnataka Excise Act to allow alcohol establishments to stay open round the clock on special occasions. The establishments have to pay Rs 11,500 as excise fee for the extension of the timings and take permission from the department as the police have given the no-objection certificate.