Mangaluru : Around 430 bars located within the area of 500 and 220 meter distance from national and state highways respectively in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts were seen closed after June 30 midnight following last year’s Supreme Court order. The order was released by the Apex Court last year in the wake of steep rise in road accidents as a result of drunken driving in the country.

According to the sources, nearly 230 shops in Udupi district and 200 shops in Dakshina Kannada district were served notice by the excise department to shut their business from June 30 midnight.

Bar license holders with CL 9 (Bar and Restaurant) and CL 2 (Wine Shop) category are allowed to shift their shops to another location from the highways while CL 7 (Bar and Restaurant with Tourism Department Registration) category license holders can’t shift their bars as per the rules.

However, liquor consumers managed to get liquor from the bars, liquor shops located far away from national and state highways on Saturday late evening and night. Desperate drinkers were seen in long queues for their favorite drink in various parts of the two districts last night.