Liquor zones auctioned for ₹1,270-cr in Gurugram West

For this year, the evaluation of bids took place Tuesday evening at the Resource Building, chaired by Gurugram deputy commissioner Ajay Kumar

The Haryana excise department has generated ₹1,270.27 crore from the allocation of 62 out of 83 liquor retail zones in Gurugram (West), marking a strong start to the first phase of e-auctions under the state’s newly amended Excise Policy 2025–27.

The two-day online auction, held from May 26 to 27, saw bids that exceeded the total reserve price of ₹1,152.27 crore by 10.24%, a result officials described as “satisfactory” amid prevailing market conditions. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The two-day online auction, held from May 26 to 27, saw bids that exceeded the total reserve price of ₹1,152.27 crore by 10.24%, a result officials described as “satisfactory” amid prevailing market conditions.

This year’s auctions follow key revisions to the Haryana excise policy, which, for the first time, will operate on a two-year cycle from 2025 to 2027. Previously, the policy was revised annually. Officials said auctions, updates, and amendments are carried out at the end of each policy cycle to align with the revised framework.

Among the highest-grossing zones in this round, DLF Phase 3 topped the list with a bid of ₹64 crore, followed by Shankar Chowk at ₹62 crore, Bajghera Chowk at ₹46 crore, Dwarka Expressway at ₹43.5 crore, and Tajnagar at ₹41 crore. Officials attributed these high figures to the zones’ strategic locations and expected consumer footfall.

To be sure, in 2024, the department collected a total of ₹1,756 crore in licence fees from Gurugram—a 9.4% increase over 2023. Last year, all 162 retail zones in the city—83 in the West and 79 in the East—had been auctioned. The highest bid in 2023 came from a vend in Bristol Chowk at ₹48.28 crore, followed by Mehrauli Border at ₹45.53 crore.

For this year, the evaluation of bids took place Tuesday evening at the Resource Building, chaired by Gurugram deputy commissioner Ajay Kumar. Deputy excise and taxation commissioner (West) Jitender Dudi said, “The increased amount compared to the reserve price may not seem very high, but it is certainly satisfactory given the present market dynamics. The response shows stable investor confidence and sets the tone for upcoming auctions in other districts.”

Kumar added, “The auction results mark a positive start and reflect the department’s efficient implementation of the new excise regime.”

The remaining 21 zones in Gurugram (West) that did not receive successful bids will be re-auctioned in the first week of June. The online tendering process for Gurugram (East) zones will begin at 9am on May 30 and conclude at 4pm on May 31, with bid evaluation scheduled for the same evening.

Among the significant changes aimed at improving ease of doing business, the total security requirement has been reduced from 15% to 11% of the licence fee. The initial deposit at the time of bidding has been brought down from 3% to 2%, and the payment required to begin lifting the liquor quota has been cut from 7% to 5%.

Officials said these changes were introduced to reduce the financial burden on bidders and widen competition, especially after the bidding schedule had to be revised in Gurugram East and West due to the amendments.