Liquor vend auction makes Chandigarh richer by ₹344 crore
A liquor vend in Dhanas village received the highest bid of ₹10.78 crore, 65% more than last year’s reserve price of ₹6.5 crore.
The Chandigarh excise and taxation department on Wednesday earned a whopping revenue of ₹344 crore from the auction of 81 liquor vends out of a total of 98.
The allotment process was conducted through e-tendering for the first time.
As compared to last year, the amount has shown an increase of 34% on its reserve price and is ₹74 crore more than last year’s auction revenue of ₹266 crore.
During the auction held at the Park View Hotel in Sector 24, Chandigarh, a liquor vend in Dhanas village received the highest bid of ₹10.78 crore, 65% more than last year’s reserve price of ₹6.5 crore. The bid was won by Kamlesh Jha and company.
In 2017, the liquor vend in Sector 42 had fetched the highest bid amount of ₹9.51 crore against the reserve price of ₹4.46 crore.
The Dhanas village bid has also beaten last year’s record bid of ₹6.6 crore for a vend at Raipur Khurd, which had fetched the highest bid due to its border with Zirakpur and Panchkula. The reserve price of the vend was ₹2.5 crore.
12 VENDS TAKEN BY TWO COMPANIES
Liquor World Ventures Private Limited and Jubilee Beverages Private Limited companies got contracts for six vends each.
Meanwhile, the vend in Khuda Lahora, which connects Chandigarh Kurali Marg to Palsora, was auctioned at ₹8.55 crore, almost 200% more than its reserve price.
An official of the UT administration said among the successful bidders, no single party was alloted more than seven vends.
Due to an increase in liquor duties and high bidding prices, this year, the devotees of Bachhus will have to spend extra money as under the new policy, liquor prices are likely to see a hike by more than 20%, applicable from April 1.
THE HIGH FETCHERS
The liquor vend at Khuda Lahora fetched the second highest bid of ₹8.55 crore against the reserve price of ₹5.25 crore.
The third highest bid went to Sector 30-C liquor vend at ₹6.72 crore against the reserve price of ₹5.5 crore.
Liquor vend in the internal market of Sector 9-C went for ₹6.69 crore against the reserve price of ₹3.1 crore.
The liquor vend in Daria village went for ₹6.67 core against the reserve price of ₹4.75 crore.
Sector 47-C liquor vend went for ₹6.39 crore against the reserve price of ₹4.75 crore.