As pvt liquor vends take over, one shop stayed in Janakpuri

New Delhi: As the Delhi government on Tuesday exited the liquor business — paving the way for swanky new private liquor stores to take over under the new Excise Policy, a local court in Dwarka stayed the opening of one such liquor store in the Janakpuri area after a Residents' Welfare Association filed a petition against it.

The RWA in Janakpuri has said that the liquor store is being planned in a residential area and that after the authorities issued a licence for it, there was "alarm & a situation of fear and panic in the mind of the residents of the said block and in the mind of the residents of other nearby residential blocks that if the liquor shop is allowed to open in the said block then it shall certainly cause nuisance".

Advocate Mohit Rana, for the petitioners, submitted that one major opening to the Possingapur village passes through the liquor store's area. He said the village was one of the oldest Brahman villages in the area and that the liquor store will be near many significant Hindu temples, a prominent Church and a Gurudwara and schools and a children's park.

The RWA added that the liquor store being built there would lead to parking woes and inadvertent traffic issues — leading to nuisance. A civil judge in Dwarka went on to stay the opening of the liquor store, saying there is prima facie material to show it might create a nuisance, according to legal news website LawBeat.

But even as the Dwarka store was stopped from opening its shutters, some 850 other new private liquor vends are preparing to open their doors from today after the government shuts down its 600-odd vends across the Capital. As per the new excise policy, the liquor business will now be handled completely by private players. The new licence holders will start retail sale of liquor in the city from Wednesday. With the new regime in place, the L-17 licensees, which include independent restaurants or gastro-bars, may serve any Indian or foreign liquor at any area like balcony, terrace, lower area of the restaurant with the condition that the alcohol serving area be screened off from public view. They can also play live music and have professional performances, bands, DJ, karaoke , singing and dancing at the premises.

However, sources said that there maybe chaos and shortage of alcohol on the very first day of the new liquor regime as nearly 250-300 vends are likely to operate on Wednesday. They also said that in many areas shops are still being prepared for operations.

Excise Department officials said that new liquor vends will remain open from 10 am to 10 pm. As per the new excise policy, which was put in public domain in July this year, classy liquor vends will be set up in 32 zones across the city. One retail licensee will have 27 liquor shops per zone.

The new policy aims at revolutionising the consumer experience by replacing the existing liquor vends in the nooks and corners of the city with posh and stylish liquor stores spread over at least 500 square feet area with walk-in facility. The policy also allows opening of five super-premium retail vends having an area of 2,500 square feet. Liquor tasting facility will also be developed at these retail vends.

The policy also bars selling liquor through grilled shops with people crowding outside on roads and pavements. Officials of the Excise Department said that licences have been distributed to all applicants in 32 zones but about 300-350 shops are likely to start operations on the first day of the new excise regime.

They said that provisional licences have been given to around 350 shops and registration of over 200 brands have been done with 10 wholesale licensees. The wholesale licensees have procured nine lakh litres of liquor of various brands so far.

Liquor prices in the city might go up as the private vends open from Wednesday under Delhi government's new excise policy. The Excise Department, which is in the process of fixing the MRP of brands to be registered in Delhi, said the wholesale price of all types of liquor are likely to increase by 8-9 per cent.