Bengaluru: If you’re planning a night out in Bengaluru this Friday, you may need to change your plans. The city will see a complete ban on liquor sales and strict restrictions as tens of thousands of people are expected to gather for the annual Eid-e-Milad procession.
Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh has announced that the sale of alcohol will be suspended across several parts of Bengaluru from 6 AM on September 5 until 6 AM on September 6. The move, he said, is aimed at ensuring peace and safety as the city braces for one of its largest religious gatherings of the year.
Where the ban applies
All pubs, bars, wine shops, M.S.I.L. outlets and restaurants serving alcohol in the following police station limits will remain closed during the 24-hour prohibition:
| S. No. | Police Station Limits |
| 1 | Hennur |
| 2 | R.M. Nagar |
| 3 | Govindapura |
| 4 | K.G. Halli |
| 5 | D.J. Halli |
| 6 | Pulakeshinagar |
| 7 | Bharathinagar |
| 8 | Commercial Street |
| 9 | Shivajinagar |
| 10 | J.C. Nagar |
| 11 | R.T. Nagar |
Only a handful of establishments with CL-4 and CL-6A licences will be exempt, but regular pubs and wine stores will be shut.
Why the ban?
Officials estimate that between 50,000 and 60,000 people will take part in the grand procession, which begins in the Kothanur and Sampigehalli police station limits in the north-east of the city. From there, the route will wind through some of Bengaluru’s busiest stretches including Thanisandra Main Road, Nagawara Main Road, Arabic College Main Road, Shyampur Main Road, Tannery Road, Haines Road, H.K.P. Road, Thammayya Road, Jayamahal Road and Nandidurga Road.
With such huge crowds expected to remain in central areas late into the night, police fear that alcohol consumption could lead to disturbances. To avoid trouble, a blanket ban has been enforced.
What remains open
The good news for residents is that restaurants and hotels will continue to serve food as usual. Essential services will also remain unaffected, meaning the city can still enjoy dining out — just without alcohol on the menu.
The restrictions come alongside prohibitory orders under Section 144, which also bar rallies, protests, processions and gatherings of over 50 people across the city during the festival.