Lockdown: Delhi’s private liquor shops likely to reopen from Friday

All private liquor shops in the national capital are likely to reopen from Friday as the Delhi government has directed these outlets to submit their monthly stock record (MSR) by May 21.

However, liquor shops in malls will remain closed in accordance with the government's order, the excise department said.

There are around 450 private liquor shops in Delhi which will be allowed to open on odd-even basis, it said.

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All government liquor vends have already been permitted to open in the city, except those in malls and containment zones.

The order further states that owners of private liquor shops will have to give an undertaking that their outlets do not fall under COVID-19 containment zones.

It also made it clear that the private liquor vends cannot open without conducting MSR activity.

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"Accordingly, all L-7 licensees (private liquor shops) are directed to conduct MSR activity between May 19 and May 21, 2020... Only after submission of the MSR compliance report and the undertaking, the shops will be allowed to open on odd-even basis," the order also said.

In case, any private shop is opened on the basis of false information, the license will be cancelled, it added.

On May 4, the government had allowed the reopening of around 150 state-run liquor shops with the beginning of the third phase of coronavirus-forced lockdown, resulting in long queues at these outlets.

Later, the government had introduced e-token system under which customers are given a specific date and time to buy liquor in order to avoid overcrowding and long queues.