Delhi govt to soon open liquor vends at IGI Airport

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is likely to soon open liquor vends at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport serving domestic flyers after nearly two years of obstruction due to scrapping of its excise policy 2021-22, official sources said on Tuesday.

The excise policy 2021-22 was scrapped by the Kejriwal government after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in its formulation and implementation in 2022.

After scrapping of the excise policy 2021-22, the retail liquor sale in the city was handed over to the four agencies of the Delhi government that was earlier handled by private licensees.

Sources said the Delhi government’s agency DCCWS (Delhi Consumers’ Cooperative Wholesale Store Limited) is going to open its liquor shop at T3 terminal’s arrival section by July.

Another store is likely to come up at T1 terminal’s departure area later, they said.

The earlier attempts of the government agencies to open liquor vends at the domestic terminals of the IGI airport were curtailed due to high rental prices, they claimed.

The domestic terminals of the airport had six premium liquor stores, operated by private players before the excise policy 2921-22 was scrapped.