Bengaluru: In a clear case to save its Excise revenue, the State Cabinet yesterday approved a proposal to denotify the National Highway coming under the urban Civic Bodies limits.

The State Cabinet, which met yesterday, took a decision to denotify 858 kms of the total 6,578 kms of National Highway in the State, the move said to be taken bowing to the lobby from bar and restaurants owners.

This decision to denotify the National Highways has come as a relief for 60-70 percent of bars which were under the threat of closure as per the Supreme Court’s order.

The State Government will ask the Ministry for Highways and Road Transport to denotify them citing the reason of better maintenance. And once the roads denotified they will be handed over to the Local Bodies for regular maintenance.

As per the Apex Court’s order passed earlier this year, around 5,960 licences, out of the total 10,149 licences along the Highway, had to be cancelled within June 30 as they are located within the 500 mts of the highway.

While the move is said to benefit the State Government as it helps to earn revenue from liquor sale it is also an additional burden for State exchequer as it will have to reserve funds for the maintenance of National Highways.

The move to denotify the Highways is expected to save resources for Union Transport Ministry but its ambitious plan of highway expansion might take a jolt.

According to sources, 16,298 of the 5,01,423 road accidents were caused by intoxicated drivers in 2015. Drink driving accounted for 675 of the total 1.46 lakh road fatalities reported in the same year.