Delhi: Tipplers queue up at liquor stores as vendors offer big discount, some below MRPs

New Delhi, Feb 13: Liquor stores in several areas of Delhi witnessed long queues of tipplers on Saturday as some outlets offered discounts on different brands of alcohol. Liquor stores in some parts of the city, including Jahangirpuri, Shahdara and Mayur Vihar, offered up to 35 per cent discount on certain IMFL brands.

Liquor stores have to exhaust their stock by the end of March as licences will be renewed in the new financial year, said a liquor vend employee in East Delhi. "There are also certain brands that have not picked up sale and retailers want to dispose them off through discounts and special offers like 'buy one, get one free'," he said.

A senior excise department officer said that several other factors such as social distancing norms being followed in liquor stores, wedding season and the weekend were also behind the long queues.

A liquor business expert said people bought in large quantities due to the rate cut. "The rush was more in stores located closer to border towns in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh due to competition among retailers there to attract more customers," he said.

The new excise policy of the Delhi government came into effect in November last year.