Delhi’s old excise policy regime will become effective with new shops and an app for liquor from Thursday, September 1. The old excise policy marks the end of the new one which was engulfed in controversy and replaces the private liquor shops. With this, private liquor shops will now be a thing of the past in the capital as they will be replaced by over 300 Delhi government vends from today.
Nearly 250 private liquor vends, licensed under now-withdrawn Excise Policy 2021-22, are running currently in the city. Some of the private vends having stocks saw a huge crowd outside as they offered schemes like buy one to get one free. The Excise department had already notified the private licensees that they will not be allowed in retail liquor sales beyond August 31.
The Excise Policy 2021-22 was withdrawn by the Delhi government last month after LG VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation.
The Excise officials said the liquor supply will improve from the first week of September due to the opening of more shops. "Currently, there are nearly 250 private shops that will be replaced by over 300 government vends. So there will be more shops and the number will grow further in the coming days as 500 shops are planned to be opened by four Delhi government undertakings," said a senior Excise department officer.
A mobile app, mAbkaridelhi, developed by the Excise department, will become operational in September, providing consumers information about the location of liquor stores in their neighbourhood and shop timings.
The mobile app will be accessible from Google Play Store and may be downloaded in Hindi and English. According to officials, the iOS version will be made available soon.