A massive fire broke out in the early hours of December 12 at ‘No Limit Air’, a popular rooftop restaurant-cum-hookah bar located in Satya Vihar under Palasuni area along NH-16 in Bhubaneswar. No casualties were reported, but the blaze completely gutted the establishment, raising serious questions about fire safety compliance and alleged illegal liquor operations.
Excise Department officials confirmed that ‘No Limit Air’ neither possessed an On-Shop (Bar) license nor had applied for one. Despite this, complaints had surfaced alleging the restaurant was running an illegal liquor bar. A team of Excise officers conducted a raid approximately a month ago based on these reports. During the search, no liquor was recovered, and no concrete evidence of illegal bar activities was established. The restaurant produced a permission from the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) allowing operations till 4 AM due to its location on the national highway. The owner was sternly warned against selling or allowing consumption of liquor on the premises without a valid excise license.
In the wake of the incident, a joint inquiry has been initiated by the Superintendent of Excise, the State Flying Squad, and the Superintendent of Excise, Bhubaneswar, to thoroughly investigate the restaurant’s activities.
This fire comes amid heightened vigilance by the Excise Department. In recent months, raids in Bhubaneswar uncovered four other restaurants operating unlicensed liquor bars: Sky Hi at Ghatikia, Mary Gold at Bapuji Nagar, Silicious, and Samara Restrobars at Patia. In these cases, various brands of liquor bottles were seized, culprits arrested, and excise cases registered.
To curb such violations statewide, all Superintendents of Excise have been directed to intensify continuous raids on illegal liquor sale points and conduct inspections of bars, hotels, restaurants, and dhabas. Officials are instructed to arrest offenders and seize contraband on the spot. Additionally, they must check for public smoking violations—including cigarettes, hookah, or any tobacco products—and book cases under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). A key focus is on verifying fire safety measures in all licensed On-Shops to ensure strict compliance.
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