Policy paves way for 200 new liquor shops in Ggm

GURUGRAM: After introducing a slew of reforms in its new excise policy benefitting stakeholders in the liquor and hospitality industry, the Haryana government on Friday announced the auction of more than 300 liquor vends in the district through e-tenders on May 18 and 24, said officials in the know of the matter.

As part of the new policy announced on May 6, four shops will be allowed to operate in each zone from the current two vends.

VK Beniwal, deputy commissioner of excise and taxation, Gurugram (east), said the city will get 300 more liquor shops from June onwards and that there can be more vends depending on the number of people bidding for the auction.

Earlier, there were 69 zones in the east area and 72 in the west; there were two liquor shops in each zone but the new liquor polmore icy paves the way for four liquor shops in one zone. “No restrictions have been mentioned in the policy about the number of vends that can operate in an area, except for the schools and religious places. There can be as many as 10 shops in a 1km stretch. For rural areas, there is a distance of at least 2km between two liquor shops,” said Beniwal.

He added the decision to increase the number of shops has been taken to generate revenue as players are likely to bid for liquor shops, given that the government has allowed both restaurants serving liquor and vends to operate throughout the day, subject to the condition of an additional licence fee payment, to prevent liquor patrons to flock to the Capital, which too has introduced many changes in its new excise policy.

Excise officials said there is a high demand for vends in areas such as Sohna Road, Golf Course Road, Golf Course Extension Road. The maximum bids are for the vends at Mehrauli border, Sector 31, Golf Course Road and Galleria market.

Every year, the process of auctioning store licences begins in March. However, due to losses that businesses incurred due to the Covid restrictions last year, the department will hold the auctioning process in May.

The government auctioned 282 store licences in Gurugram district through e-tenders last year.

There are no restrictions in the policy on the number of vends in an area. deputy commissioner of excise and taxation, Gurugram (east)