29 July,2026 12:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay. File Pic
BJP MLA Sanjay Upadhyay on Tuesday warned the owner of a wine shop in Mumbai's Borivali against encouraging customers to consume liquor on the roadside, saying a licence to sell alcohol does not permit turning public spaces into drinking spots.
The Borivali legislator visited the wine shop in Somnath Society near Gavdevi Maidan in Shimpoli on Tuesday. According to him, this was the third warning issued to the establishment, reported PTI.
He alleged that despite two earlier warnings, the shop continued to sell drinking water, soft drinks, snacks and cigarettes, thereby encouraging customers to consume liquor outside the premises in violation of the rules.
"A liquor licence is not a licence for public drinking. Such illegal practices will not be tolerated under any circumstances," Upadhyay said, reported PTI.
He claimed that women, children, senior citizens and other local residents were facing inconvenience due to people consuming liquor in the open. He added that the police had been asked to initiate strict action against those violating the rules.
The BJP legislator said such illegal activities would not be allowed under the 'Borivali Pattern 2.0' safety campaign, asserting that citizens' safety would remain the highest priority.
The latest visit is part of a campaign that Upadhyay has been pursuing over the past several months against what he describes as the "open bar" culture in Borivali.
In February this year, he raised the issue with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, highlighting incidents of people consuming liquor outside wine shops, in parks, playgrounds and other public places. He also sought action against the illegal late-night sale of liquor and tobacco products.
In December last year, the BJP MLA inspected the area around a liquor shop in Shimpoli after residents complained about empty liquor bottles and public drinking outside the outlet. He then directed all wine shop owners in Borivali to install warning boards, deploy security guards and ensure that drinking did not take place outside their establishments, warning that failure to comply would invite legal action as well as public protests.
A month earlier, he visited the Padmabai Chawl area after residents complained about empty liquor bottles littering the lanes. Alleging that the locality had begun resembling an "open bar", he announced that public drinking would invite what he termed the "Borivali Pattern" of strict enforcement.
In August 2025, Upadhyay also flagged the alleged open sale and consumption of liquor on the Borivali railway bridge, questioning when the administration would act. He urged the police, railway authorities and the civic body to take immediate action, saying such activities posed a serious safety concern, particularly for women and commuters.
(With PTI inputs)
