Delhi government wont run booze shops, new policy implemented
NEW DELHI: Liquor lovers in the capital will have completely new experience while shopping for their favorite booze.Customers wont have to now deal with tine, crowded government run booze shops. All government-run liquor shops shut down on Tuesday night, marking the exit of Delhi government from the alcohol retail business. From Wednesday, swanky private stores will take the orders of liquor.
However, a short scarcity looms on the horizon with only a few dozen of the newly mandated private liquor sellers prepared to operate from the day the new policy comes into force.
In the new regime, 850 new showroom-like stores are to be opened across Delhi. These will each have a minimum of 2,000 sq ft of carpet area and will offer an array of brands. All the shops will have mechanised billing too.”
In many stores, the civil construction work wasn’t finished on Tuesday evening, while many others were giving final touches to the setup. A dozen shops which were fully finished showcased empty shelves because they were yet to procure the liquor from wholesalers. “We will be able to open our shop for the public by the weekend,” said one provisional licence holder in south Delhi. There is some apprehension among the new shops because there have been sporadic protests against the new excise policy.
For some days now, liquor consumers have been feeling the pinch, with many government alcohol vends no longer replenishing stocks because they were in exit mode. A government official assured that all efforts had been made to prevent a liquor crisis. While prices are expected to go up 5-10%.
