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As government-run liquor shops reopened Thursday morning with the reintroduction of the old excise policy, they were met with a scattered response from customers. Queues earlier in the day were sparse, with some customers relieved at not having to go far to buy liquor, while others were disappointed at the choices available as compared to the earlier private-run stores.
At many locations which earlier had liquor stores, like those at the Star City Mall in Mayur Vihar, shops were shut. Having once had ten liquor stores, none were open on Thursday at the mall. At another store in Trilokpuri, only a few customers turned up. Store manager Kush Mishra said stock of liquor and the number of customers would go up over time.
Managers at stores also said they dealt with sales rather than purchases, stocking their outlets, with the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) handling restocking.
At a store in Mayur Vihar Phase 2, a customer, Raju, was not satisfied with the brand selection. He said, “… the government shops do not have good brands like the private ones.” The store manager said 8-10 brands were available, and that they would gradually increase.
At a store in Vinod Nagar, other customers shared Raju’s sentiments. Raghupati Nath, who was at the store, said, “Government stores do not keep good brands… They are small and crowded. Private ones should also open along with them. Let people have choices.”
Meanwhile, stores at other locations had not yet reopened after the departure of their private-owned proprietors, including outlets at Jasola Vihar, New Friends Colony market, and Market Road in Lajpat Nagar. The latter two also had flyers proclaiming that the premises were up for sale or rent.
At an outlet at Living Style mall in Jasola Vihar, employees were unconcerned with low customer turnout and stocks, saying, “Customers will come later in the day. We will get more stock as well. For now, we have Indian whisky brands.”
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At LSC shopping centre in Sarita Vihar, there were three different liquor stores a few metres from each other. Managers noted that they already had large stock of Indian whisky and beer and expected more to arrive later. Customers, however, mostly congregated at the store closest to the shopping centre’s entrance.
On the lopsided turnout, manager of one of the stores, Anish Kumar, said, “Once the word gets out, more people will start coming. Also, our store is not easily visible, being a little further inside.”
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