Delhi liquor shops open, thousands throng to buy, police called in

Thousands of people gathered outside liquor shops in different parts of the country including Delhi on Monday (May 4) as the Centre allowed the state governments to open liquor shops with some conditions during the lockdown 3.0 which will end on May 17. Over 100 people crowded outside a liquor shop in Delhi's Malviya Nagar forcing the shop owner to call the police in order to keep things under control. Similar scenes were witnessed outside other liquor shops too as people flouted social distancing norms in order to lay their hands on liquor bottles.

It was expected that around 150 liquor shops located outside coronavirus containment zones in Delhi would open from Monday as the Delhi government on Sunday announced to implement the latest lockdown relaxations suggested by Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited and Delhi Consumer's Cooperative Wholesale Store were allowed to open liquor shops in public places, except malls and market complexes.

Maharashtra government, however, has decided that wine, liquor shops will not open from Monday (May 4) in Mumbai. It is learnt that all excise officers in the city are scheduled to meet at 12pm  to take a decision in this regard and till then liquor shops will remain shut in Mumbai.

Earlier it was decided that wine stores can resume business in Mumbai Metropolitan Region with certain conditions on Monday. Sale of liquor was however not allowed in malls, restaurants and permit rooms during the lockdown 3.0, which will remain in place till April 17.