HBI Staff | Mumbai 
The Gujarat government has specified that access permits for alcohol in GIFT City will exclusively be available to individuals aged 21 and older, according to the newly released guidelines concerning alcohol consumption within the GIFT City campus. Access permits and temporary visitor permits for alcohol will be granted solely to those who have reached 21 years of age, priced at Rs 1,000 per year. This regulation holds significance for alcohol consumption, particularly among young employees, including those in KPOs, within GIFT City.
Liquor access permits will have a validity of two years and can subsequently be renewed for two-year periods. However, temporary permits will only be valid for a single day. As outlined in the guidelines, individuals with permits must confine alcohol consumption to specific “wine and dine” areas. For hotels, clubs, or restaurants in GIFT City intending to serve liquor on-site, they must approach the Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise in Gandhinagar. They’ll need to submit the required documents for obtaining the FL3 license necessary for serving liquor within the campus. These entities will have to keep detailed records of liquor stocks and keep the entire facility under CCTV surveillance. CCTV records have to be maintained for three months.
Last week, the Gujarat government relaxed the stringent liquor consumption norms for GIFT City and allowed “wine and dine” services.
The FL3 license will have an initial validity ranging from one to five years. Its annual fee is set at INR 1 lakh, with a security deposit of INR 2 lakh. Access to alcohol in GIFT City will be restricted to permits issued by the designated authority. Holders of health liquor permits, visitor permits, and tourist permits will not have access to alcohol within GIFT City. Currently, the Gujarat government issues liquor permits for health reasons and for visitors to the State. It has specified that permits for alcohol consumption in GIFT City are exclusively reserved for employees, officials, and visitors associated with GIFT City.
