Delhi private liquor shops to remain shut from October 1, here's why

Under the Delhi government's new policy, all the 850 liquor vends, including the 260-odd outlets run privately, have been given to private firms through open tender.

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New Delhi: Tipplers in Delhi may face problems in getting their favourite brands in the next one-and-half months as around 40 per cent of private liquor vends in the national capital will shut down from October 1.

While nearly 260 privately-owned liquor shops will be shutting down businesses, only state government-run liquor outlets will continue to operate till November 16.

Why will private Delhi liquor vends shut down? 

This is due to the new excise policy of the Delhi government. Under the new policy, all the 850 liquor vends, including the 260-odd outlets run privately, have been given to private firms through open tender.

The new licence holders will start the retail sale of liquor in the city from November 17. In the transition period of nearly one-and-half months, only government-run liquor vends will remain open. The government vends will close down on November 16.

What’s the new excise policy of Delhi govt?

The Delhi government recently introduced its new Excise Policy for the year 2021-2022 with the objective to achieve optimum revenue for the government alongside "eradicating the sale of spurious liquor or non-duty paid liquor in Delhi and transforming the consumer experience, besides simplifying the highly complex heavily regulated excise regime, ensuring ease of doing business in the overall trade and to not allow the formation of any monopoly or cartel". The new policy also aims at enhancing liquor buyer’s experience in the national capital.

The Delhi government under its new excise policy has divided the city into 32 zones and bid the liquor vends there aiming an equitable distribution of retail liquor business across the city. Each zone comprising 8-10 wards will have around 27 vends. An Excise department official said that the government vends have been asked to stock up in view of an expected surge in demand.

"It’s a transition phase and some people may have problems but there will be no shortage as there is an adequate number of government vends to cater to the demand," the officer said. There are around 720 operating liquor vends, out of which nearly 260 or 40 per cent are privately run. The Excise department has also prepared to check the possibility of illicit liquor entering the city from neighbouring states due to the closure of private shops.

There are 26 municipal wards in the city where no liquor shops will open after September 30 as they were catered to by private vends only. There are already 80 wards where there are no liquor vends.