Delhi excise policy: Over 100 liquor shops close, outlets face huge losses

Under the new excise policy 2021-22, the Delhi government had issued 849 retail licenses across the city divided into 32 zones as per PTI.

Pic Credit: File Photo

New Delhi: The Delhi goverment on Sunday extended the retail licenses of liquor vends for a month. However, the national capital went unofficially dry on Monday with no alcohol being served at hotels, clubs and bars as their excise licenses expired on July 31.

As per a TOI report, these are the following places in Delhi where liquor shops are closed recently: Greater Kailash, CR Park, Chirag Dilli, Subhash Nagar, Daryaganj, Punjabi Bagh, Sarita Vihar, Malka Nagar, GTB Nagar, Chandni Chowk, Shalimar Bagh (South), Shakarpur, Anand Vihar. 

On the other hand, these are the locations in the capital where liquor shops had shut down in May: Hauz Khas, Safdarjung Enclave, Kotla Mubarakpur, Shahdara, Dilshad Garden, Kalkaji, Govindpuri, Srinivaspuri, Laxmi Nagar, Preet Vihar, Andrews Ganj, Shakurpur, Dwarka, Model Town, Vikaspuri, Tagore Garden, Lado Sarai, Kamla Nagar, Moti Nagar, Rajendra Nagar.

Under the new excise policy 2021-22, the Delhi government had issued 849 retail licenses across the city divided into 32 zones. The policy was implemented on November 17, 2021.

A restaurateur charged that there seemed to be "administrative incompetence" of "highest level" on the part of the government which has led to the situation.

"If they wanted to extend the license, they should have done it earlier. First, they took back the new excise policy and decided to run vends through their agencies and now one month extension is being given thinking nothing about losses we will suffer with no business to do," he said.

Around 468 liquor stores were running in the city as the government decided to revert back to old excise policy.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has extended licenses of country liquor vends by two months till September 30 as fresh tenders are yet to be finalised, officials said on Monday.

The Excise department of Delhi government, in an order issued on Saturday, extended the licenses of over 250 country liquor shops in the city.

(With PTI inputs)