Reams of red tape to cut before the dance

By Mateen Hafeez/TNN

Mumbai: They may have won the high court battle, but bar owners and employees have a long way ahead before they can do the victory dance. The lifting of the ban means little until and unless they have acquired all the 46 licences.

It starts with a registration certificate (RC) for an eatery which is issued by a divisional assistant commissioner of police, and the Police Public Entertainment Licence (PPEL), again issued by the police.

But getting them is easier said than done. For instance, until the dance bar applicant gets an NOC from the commercial or residential complex where it would be located, a PPEL will not be issued.

“The rule of furnishing a no-objection certificate (NOC) has been there since a long time but now it will be more strict. For example, a residential housing society or building where a new dance bar starts, has to submit an NOC saying they do not have any problem if the establishment (dance bar) is run in their building or nearby. If the police get any complaints from the residential society or building, the dance bar licence could be cancelled,’’ said a senior officer.

Then comes the Shops and Establishment Licence issued by the BMC, for which applications have to be made in local ward offices. While existing bars may have some permissions already, for those bars starting from scratch the other permissions needed include those for serving liquor on the premises—a Foreign Liquor Licence number 3 (FL3) and a beer bar permit to serve beer, Foreign Liquor Licence number 4 (FL4). Both licences are issued by the excise department.

A Premises Licence (PL) too is needed to conduct amusement activities on the premises. This is issued by the commissioner of police’s office. And finally, at the end of the long corridors of babudom, there is the Performance Licence issued by the local assistant commissioner of police. This can be obtained for periods ranging from one day to one year.

The Times of India, April 15, 2006