New Delhi

Despite the two-month extension of the current excise policy 2021-22, the national capital is witnessing 'Dry Day' like situation for past many days. The few shops that continue to operate at some locations in the city are witnessing large footfalls, with spiralling queues outside the shops.

The posh areas of the city such as South Extension, Safdarjung Enclave, Punjabi Bagh, Greater Kailash, CR Park, Kamla Nagar, Model Town, and some parts of East Delhi are facing massive shortage of liquor as most outlets are shut there. And the few outlets open there are not placing bulk orders, as they will have to clear the stock by the last of this month.

Delhi is set to return to the old excise policy regime from September 1, when the city will have 500 liquor stores to serve the citizens. According to a source, Delhi government's four corporations -- Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIDC), Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation (DSCSC) and Delhi Consumers Cooperative Wholesale Store (DCCWS) -- have been given the responsibility to open liquor stores across the city.

However, the industry experts said that due to the structured withdrawal plan, retailers are not keen to pick up stocks in the last few days before the old excise policy sets in. "We are concerned about supply of liquor in the last few days of the transition period and for sometime even after that. As per the structured withdrawal plan, retailers are not to pick up stocks in the last 10 days, as the stocks may run out in the national capital," CIABC Director Vinod Giri said.

Talking about the excise policy that will come into effect from September 1, Giri said there is very little time left and a great amount of work needs to be done to implement the old policy again, including opening of shops, wholesale depots, pricing, clearing leftover stocks etc. "There is also the issue of reconciliation of taxes on stocks between the two systems.

ALSO READ: Is Habib Tanvir's legacy of blending folk and modern theater fading?

We have requested the government for some time to take up these matters and are waiting to hear from them," he said.