Bevco boardKochi: In a bid to avoid rush of customers at the very few liquor outlets remaining open in the state following a Supreme Court order, the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) has extended working time of its shops by one hour.
The outlets will remain open from 9.30 am to 9.30 pm from now on, Bevco managing director said in an order on Monday. This was 10 am to 9 pm earlier.
The new timing will be in place until the outlets along national and state highways, which have been closed down following the SC order, are relocated.
As many as 207 of the 850 retail liquor outlets owned by the state government downed shutters since April 1 in compliance with the Supreme Court directive of December 2016.
Also, 1,749 other places where liquor was served till March 31, including five-star hotels as well as beer, wine and toddy shops, had stopped serving liquor.
With the Kerala Assembly session likely to commence on April 17, the Pinarayi Vijayan government is keen to arrive at a political consensus.
