West Bengal bars new liquor shops within 1 km of schools, hospitals, places of worship

New West Bengal excise rules block fresh liquor shop licences within 1 km of schools, hospitals and religious sites, with a relaxed 500-metre limit inside Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Existing outlets are grandfathered, but the rule narrows the runway for new alcohol retail footprints across the state.

— Filed Mon, 22 Jun, 2026, 15:23 IST · Source NDTV Profit · Updated

West Bengal will deny new liquor shop licences within 1 km of schools, hospitals or religious places, with a 500-metre relaxation inside Kolkata Municipal Corporation limits. Existing outlets are unaffected, but future retail expansion for alcohol is constrained.