Delhi airport's domestic terminals likely to resume selling liquor

The airport authorities have offered the shops to the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC) to open liquor vends, a senior officer of the city government said.

Liquor sale at the domestic terminals of the Delhi airport is likely to resume soon as city government has been offered a few shops to open alcohol vends there, officials said on Tuesday. The airport authorities have offered the shops to the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC) to open liquor vends, a senior officer of the city government said.

Liquor sale at the domestic terminals of the airport stopped after August 31 as the excise policy was withdrawn. (HT_PRINT)

"We have been offered three-four shops to open vends at the domestic terminals of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. A couple of those shops are suitable for large-sized premium vends with a floor area of more than 1,000 square feet," the officer said.

Liquor sale at the domestic terminals of the airport stopped after August 31 as the excise policy of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for 2021-22 was withdrawn. There were six liquor stores at the domestic terminals of the airport, which were run by a private player under the previous excise policy. According to the policy, 10 liquor vends were to be opened at the domestic terminals.

The Excise Policy 2021-22 was withdrawn by the Arvind Kejriwal government in July after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged violation of rules and procedural lapses in its implementation. The DTTDC had unsuccessfully tried to rent out the shops hired by the private player to run the liquor vends that were closed after August 31.

The excise department had issued licences to four undertakings of the Delhi government -- DTTDC, DSIIDC, DSCSC and DCCWS -- to run liquor vends in the city under the old excise regime. The DSCSC has opened a premium liquor vend in a Mayur Vihar mall. The remaining premium shops will soon be opened by the other corporations, officials said.