Liquor stock worth ₹62.5-crore sold in Maharashtra on Tuesday

At least 16.10 lakh litres of liquor worth ₹62.55 crore was sold on Tuesday, a day after the state government opened up liquor stores in Maharashtra. The figure

At least 16.10 lakh litres of liquor worth ₹62.55 crore was sold on Tuesday, a day after the state government opened up liquor stores in Maharashtra. The figure was low compared to the usual sale of 24 lakh litres daily, but noteworthy as most establishments were shut because they received the order from the collector late in the day.

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Excise commissioner Kantilal Umap said, “In some places, the local authorities did not allow the shops to open, while in others, the permission was given late.”

Tuesday saw queues extending up to more than 1km throughout the day, as many feared the stocks would get over. “I didn’t want to take any chance, as I did not drink for the past two months. It is depressing to sit inside the house and a drink will refresh me,” said Umesh Chawla, who stood in a queue outside the wine shop at Dadar for three hours.

All areas saw heavy police patrolling, while shutters were half closed, with shop owners trying to ensure social distancing.

In the central suburbs, the queues stretched from Sion Circle to Sion railway station, with at least 70 people standing in the scorching heat. In adjacent Matunga, the queue stretched from Matunga market to King’s Circle and from Kohinoor Electronics lane to Chitra Cinema in Dadar.

Apart from masks, the scorching heat forced most buyers to tie scarves on the head and wear caps to protect themselves. Some shops were shut considering the rush and shortage of staff.

In many places, the police stopped the sale considering the rush. “The popular brands were sold within four hours, despite the limit on the supply to each consumer,” said a shop owner who refused to come on record.

Liquor shops open in Palghar

Several liquor shops in Vasai-Virar, Boisar, Palghar and other areas in the district opened on Tuesday after Dr Kailas Shinde, Palghar district collector, issued fresh orders late Monday evening. While Palghar district is in the red zone, shops in non-containment zones have been opened.Many buyers lined up outside shops early in the morning, with one even performing an arti. Buyers said they had to pay a slightly higher price. (Inputs from Ram Parmar)