MCA and excise department rein in IPL team Rising Pune Supergiant, following mid-day's report about how it had circumvented the highway liquor ban to serve drinks at Gahunje Stadium
Gahunje stadium is 200 metres from the Mumbai-Pune highway
The Gahunje stadium in Pune will no longer try to bypass the highway liquor ban, said Abhay Apte, president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, after reading mid-day's front-page report on the issue on Thursday. "MCA has banned liquor since the India vs England match in Pune in January," he said.
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"We want to focus on cricket and not on liquor. So after this issue came to light in mid-day, we held a meeting with the franchise and they agreed that no liquor will be served," said Abhay Apte, president of MCA.
This paper had reported that despite the Supreme Court's ban on sale of liquor within 500 metres of highways, the IPL franchise Rising Pune Supergiants (RSP) had found a way to serve alcohol at Gahunje stadium, which is situated just 200 m from the Mumbai-Pune highway. The main entrance to the stadium connects to the highway via an emergency road. Unless required, this road is kept shut at all times. So, the RSP pointed to a service road that passes through Gahunje village and ends behind the stadium. The franchise sought permission from the excise department to serve drinks within the stadium's premises, pointing out that this 1.2-km-long road was the only access route to the stadium.
However, as the RPS vs MI game began last night, no liquor was served. State excise officer (Lonavla), Deepak Parab, confirmed, "I am at the spot. No liquor stock has been untagged, and liquor has not been served anywhere."
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