mumbai keen to relocate the liquor stores that had to shut down after a supreme court order banned sale of alcohol within 500 metres of highways the state government has decided to make a uturn on a rule introduced by it just six months ago the state excise department rule mandated a distance of 500 metres between two liquor shops but now it will have to be relaxed if alcohol stores near the highways are to move into towns for businessthe state rule aimed at checking a spurt in liquor shops in any one area to avoid law and order issues such as drunken brawls came in december last year just days before the supreme court order on december 15 the state excise department had deliberated on the safe distance rule for eight to ten months before its introduction after the state government implemented the supreme court order to shut down all liquor shops and vends within 500 metres of national and state highways and their service roads it took a large hit in its revenues after seeing the ramifications of the highway ban the department was forced to reconsider its 500metreapart decision with a view to allowing liquor shops near highways to open at a new spotthe state is finding it difficult to relocate affected shops as its own rule has become a hurdle so the department has come to the conclusion that it should scrap the rule a senior official from excise department at the same time the loss in revenue could be the other reason for removing the new rulethe supreme court verdict shut down 15033 liquor shops in the state