Liquor vend auction: Chandigarh admn slashes reserve price by 25% for 7th round

For financial year 2023-24, the Chandigarh excise and taxation department has fixed a target of ₹830 crore for liquor vends’ licence fee; having earned only ₹376 crore so far from six auctions, it is staring at a revenue gap of ₹454 crore

After finding no takers for 25 unsold liquor vends during the sixth e-auction on Tuesday, the UT excise and taxation department has slashed their reserve price further by 25% for the seventh round of auction planned on April 18.

Chandigarh has 95 liquor vends, but through six auctions, being held since March 15, the Chandigarh administration has managed to allot only 70. (HT File Photo)

The city has 95 liquor vends, but through six auctions, being held since March 15, the department has managed to allot only 70.

For financial year 2023-24, the department has fixed a target of ₹830 crore for liquor vends’ licence fee. Having earned only ₹376 crore so far from six auctions, it is staring at a revenue gap of ₹454 crore.

The liquor vend at Dhanas, located near Mullanpur, which had fetched the highest bid for the past two years, has still not found a buyer. Last year, it was auctioned for the highest-ever amount of ₹12.78 crore.

Even last year, the department had held seven auctions, but three of the 96 vends remained unsold.