Karnataka: Footfall increases as pubs serve liquor again

News Network

September 3, 2020

Bengaluru, Sept 3: : With liquor being served in pubs and restaurants of Karnataka under Unlock 4.0 guidelines, pub owners said that footfalls have increased.

With precautionary measures such as maintaining social distancing norms, use of hand sanitisers, face masks, and thermal screening in place, pubs and restaurants have resumed their services.

G Kiran Raj, the owner of a pub, said that earlier when services were restricted only to dining there were a few customers.

"The last 4-5 months were the toughest times, and Unlock 4.0 is good news for us. We now see good footfall. There was no business at all during the lockdown. Even when dining started, there were hardly people as they started ordering online. We realised even dining did not bring business. Now, with liquor being served, footfall has increased," said Raj.

"We strictly ensure that the necessary COVID-19 protection protocols are followed here. We cleaned all our furniture properly. Now, we sanitise every seating arrangement with solutions after the customers leave as a precautionary measure to prevent further spread of the virus," he added.

He further said that measures such as thermal scanning, use of face masks, sanitisers, gloves, and face shields have been made mandatory for the staff.

The staff provides customers hand sanitiser at the entrance, and the temperatures of those entering is checked using thermal scanners. Arrangements have also been made to maintain social distancing among all.

With relaxations in coronavirus-induced lockdown amid Unlock 4, the Karnataka Government has allowed pubs and restaurants in the state to serve liquor.

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Mangaluru’s KPT becomes India’s first autonomous govt polytechnic

News Network

January 23,2026

Mangaluru: The Karnataka Government Polytechnic (KPT), Mangaluru, has achieved autonomous status from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), becoming the first government polytechnic in the country to receive such recognition in its 78-year history. The status was granted by AICTE, New Delhi, and subsequently approved by the Karnataka Board of Technical Education in October last year.

Officials said the autonomy was conferred a few months ago. Until recently, AICTE extended autonomous status only to engineering colleges, excluding diploma institutions. However, with a renewed national focus on skill development, several government polytechnics across India have now been granted autonomy.

KPT, the second-largest polytechnic in Karnataka, was established in 1946 with four branches and has since expanded to offer eight diploma programmes, including computer science and polymer technology. The institution is spread across a 19-acre campus.

Ravindra M Keni, the first dean of the institution, told The Times of India that AICTE had proposed autonomous status for polytechnic institutions that are over 25 years old. “Many colleges applied. In the first round, 100 institutions were shortlisted, which was further narrowed down to 15 in the second round. We have already completed one semester after becoming an autonomous institution,” he said. He added that nearly 500 students are admitted annually across eight three-year diploma courses.

Explaining the factors that helped KPT secure autonomy, Keni said the institution has consistently recorded 100 per cent admissions and placements for its graduates. He also noted its strong performance in sports, with the college emerging champions for 12 consecutive years, along with active student participation in NCC and NSS activities.

Autonomous status allows KPT to design industry-oriented curricula, conduct examinations, prepare question papers, and manage academic documentation independently. The institution can also directly collaborate with industries and receive priority funding from AICTE or the Ministry of Education. While academic autonomy has been granted, financial control will continue to rest with the state government.

“There will be separate committees for examinations, question paper setting, boards of studies, and boards of examiners. The institution will now have the freedom to conduct admissions without government notifications and issue its own marks cards,” Keni said, adding that new academic initiatives would be planned after a year of functioning under the autonomous framework.

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