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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Cheers next door: Delhi liquor stores lose ground; customers prefer Haryana, UP options, revenue loss hits Rs 1,500 crore
NEW DELHI: Until a few years ago, 40-year-old Arun Bhatia, a marketing professional with a multinational FMCG company, always shopped for his preferred brands of liquor in Delhi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The rates were relatively cheaper than in Noida, where he lives, and he trusted the quality more. He would spend considerable time at his favourite shop in Connaught Place, browsing through the various brands available there. The trend changed completely in the last three years. Bhatia and several other liquor enthusiasts in Delhi now visit the ultra-modern liquor shops in neighbouring Gurgaon or Faridabad, where not only are the prices lower, but the variety of Indian and foreign brands in each category of liquor is also huge. Customers visit the liquor showrooms in the neighbouring towns of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for the sheer experience that is completely missing in the capital, where people are forced to jostle against each other in a small shop and ask for the bottle from across a huge desk or an iron grill. What changed in the last few years was that the retail liquor business in the capital failed to keep pace with other states. Before Nov 2021, when Delhi govt rolled out a new excise policy, there were both state-run stores and private shops involved in the retail liquor business. While the four state corporations – Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation and Delhi Consumers' Cooperative Wholesale Store Limited – operated nearly 475 shops, there were 375 private liquor stores. With the rollout of Delhi Excise Policy-2021, govt handed over the retail and wholesale liquor business to private entities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The policy, however, soon ran into trouble and had to be withdrawn. As a knee-jerk reaction, the then state govt reintroduced the previous excise policy but handed over the retail business to the four govt corporations. According to industry insiders, Delhi's existing retail model, which is a legacy of the past, has drawbacks that hurt consumers, businesses and the state treasury alike. "The govt-run retail structure reduces competition and limits brand availability. This restricts consumer choice, as retailers promote select products instead of offering a diverse range," said an industry insider. A senior Delhi govt official agreed that the four corporations almost "monopolised" the retail business and promoted select brands. The capping on retail margin at Rs 50 for India-made foreign liquor and Rs 100 for foreign liquor, which was discontinued during the nine months in 2022 and 2023 when the new excise policy was in force, returned with the rollback to the old excise regime. "Instead of stocking premium brands that move slowly, the retailers thus keep cheaper brands in a price range of Rs 400–600, which sell faster," said the official. Delhi govt, meanwhile, recently announced that it would soon roll out a new policy, making sale and distribution of liquor in the city transparent and accountable. A high-level committee had been formed under chief secretary for the purpose, it said. An analysis done by the excise department showed that the top 10 brands of liquor sold in Delhi do not figure in the preference list of customers in other states. Officials said the problem particularly existed in the lower category price segments, where the customer found it inconvenient in terms of both time and effort to hitch-hike to the neighbouring state and purchase his or her choice of brand. Allowing brand-pushing leads to overstocking of less popular brands, reducing the space available for brands that are genuinely popular. "This also results in the consumer shifting to neighbouring states, leading to suboptimal sales and consequently, revenue loss to the govt. The menace of brand-pushing not only disregards actual consumer preferences but also undermines fair market competition. It creates an opaque system where certain brands dominate not due to quality or popularity but because of alleged malpractices," said an official. The four govt corporations even planned to introduce a standard operating procedure based on the weighted average of sales patterns of brands across the country, states constituting the national capital region, and within the capital to curb brand-pushing. Industry experts, however, said the retail outlets, if privatised, would automatically stock brands as per consumers' preferences. The industry also blamed the non-availability of well-known Indian brands at Delhi stores for customers going to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Anant Iyer, director general of the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies, said Delhi's excise policy discriminated heavily between IMFL and foreign brands. While all Indian whiskies have to pay a brand licence fee of Rs 25 lakh for each product, Rs 12 lakh per brand for rum, gin, and vodka, Rs 8 lakh for brandy, and Rs 15 lakh for beer, the licence fee for imported liquor is Rs 15 lakh for five brands of whisky, rum, gin, vodka, and brandy, and Rs 50,000 per additional brand. The licence fee for imported wine and liqueur brands is Rs 7 lakh for 10 brands and Rs 50,000 per additional brand. "Some of the prominent single malts are not available in Delhi because the companies decided not to sell here due to discriminatory licence fees. Let there be a level playing field and healthy competition," said Iyer. Poor retail density is another reason why Delhi's revenue from liquor trade has not grown as much as in the neighbouring states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. According to industry experts, Delhi has about 762 liquor and wine shops, of which only 603 are operational. This brings Delhi's retail density to 2.7 retail shops per lakh population, against the national average retail density of 5.2. In comparison, the retail density in UP is 4.1 and in Haryana 7.8. Officials said nearly 30% of Delhi living in unauthorised colonies remained completely unserved, leading to smuggling of non-duty-paid liquor from the neighbouring states. Delhi prohibits the opening of liquor shops in non-conforming areas. Officials estimate that the state is losing Rs 1,300–1,500 crore yearly due to the rule. With Delhi govt likely to bring a new liquor policy, the industry players have several expectations. Officials agreed that serious changes were required in certain rules, which may not only create a level playing field for both Indian and foreign players but also prevent customers from going to Gurgaon or Noida to buy their stock. "We are in the process of making certain changes in our policy," said an official. The excise policy in the capital is announced at the beginning of each financial year. The excise department extended the policy of the 2024–25 financial year for three months this year, till June 30, 2025. Sources said the govt may announce a new policy soon. Sanjit Padhi, chief executive officer of the International Spirits and Wines Association of India, said as the national capital, Delhi should be the leading city in providing the best retail infrastructure to both its residents and visitors. "We believe that with a progressive retail policy, the state can provide its consumers not only brand choice but also a retail infrastructure that would be comparable to its neighbouring states in terms of buying experience and choice of leading brands. This would also lead to enhanced revenue, as consumers do not have to travel to neighbouring cities for their favourite brands," Padhi said.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Cheers Next Door: Why Liquor Lovers Head Across Border For Right Choice
New Delhi: Until a few years ago, 40-year-old Arun Bhatia, a marketing professional with a multinational FMCG company, always shopped for his preferred brands of liquor in Delhi. The rates were relatively cheaper than in Noida, where he lives, and he trusted the quality more. He would spend considerable time at his favourite shop in Connaught Place, browsing through the various brands available there. The trend changed completely in the last three years. Bhatia and several other liquor enthusiasts in Delhi now visit the ultra-modern liquor shops in neighbouring Gurgaon or Faridabad, where not only are the prices lower, but the variety of Indian and foreign brands in each category of liquor is also huge. Customers visit the liquor showrooms in the neighbouring towns of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh for the sheer experience that is completely missing in the capital, where people are forced to jostle against each other in a small shop and ask for the bottle from across a huge desk or an iron grill. What changed in the last few years was that the retail liquor business in the capital failed to keep pace with other states. Before Nov 2021, when Delhi govt rolled out a new excise policy, there were both state-run stores and private shops involved in the retail liquor business. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People Born 1940-1975 With No Life Insurance Could Be Eligible For This Reassured Get Quote Undo While the four state corporations – Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation and Delhi Consumers' Cooperative Wholesale Store Limited – operated nearly 475 shops, there were 375 private liquor stores. With the rollout of Delhi Excise Policy-2021, govt handed over the retail and wholesale liquor business to private entities. The policy, however, soon ran into trouble and had to be withdrawn. As a knee-jerk reaction, the then state govt reintroduced the previous excise policy but handed over the retail business to the four govt corporations. According to industry insiders, Delhi's existing retail model, which is a legacy of the past, has drawbacks that hurt consumers, businesses and the state treasury alike. "The govt-run retail structure reduces competition and limits brand availability. This restricts consumer choice, as retailers promote select products instead of offering a diverse range," said an industry insider. A senior Delhi govt official agreed that the four corporations almost "monopolised" the retail business and promoted select brands. The capping on retail margin at Rs 50 for India-made foreign liquor and Rs 100 for foreign liquor, which was discontinued during the nine months in 2022 and 2023 when the new excise policy was in force, returned with the rollback to the old excise regime. "Instead of stocking premium brands that move slowly, the retailers thus keep cheaper brands in a price range of Rs 400–600, which sell faster," said the official. Delhi govt, meanwhile, recently announced that it would soon roll out a new policy, making sale and distribution of liquor in the city transparent and accountable. A high-level committee had been formed under chief secretary for the purpose, it said. An analysis done by the excise department showed that the top 10 brands of liquor sold in Delhi do not figure in the preference list of customers in other states. Officials said the problem particularly existed in the lower category price segments, where the customer found it inconvenient in terms of both time and effort to hitch-hike to the neighbouring state and purchase his or her choice of brand. Allowing brand-pushing leads to overstocking of less popular brands, reducing the space available for brands that are genuinely popular. "This also results in the consumer shifting to neighbouring states, leading to suboptimal sales and consequently, revenue loss to the govt. The menace of brand-pushing not only disregards actual consumer preferences but also undermines fair market competition. It creates an opaque system where certain brands dominate not due to quality or popularity but because of alleged malpractices," said an official. The four govt corporations even planned to introduce a standard operating procedure based on the weighted average of sales patterns of brands across the country, states constituting the national capital region, and within the capital to curb brand-pushing. Industry experts, however, said the retail outlets, if privatised, would automatically stock brands as per consumers' preferences. The industry also blamed the non-availability of well-known Indian brands at Delhi stores for customers going to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Anant Iyer, director general of the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies, said Delhi's excise policy discriminated heavily between IMFL and foreign brands. While all Indian whiskies have to pay a brand licence fee of Rs 25 lakh for each product, Rs 12 lakh per brand for rum, gin, and vodka, Rs 8 lakh for brandy, and Rs 15 lakh for beer, the licence fee for imported liquor is Rs 15 lakh for five brands of whisky, rum, gin, vodka, and brandy, and Rs 50,000 per additional brand. The licence fee for imported wine and liqueur brands is Rs 7 lakh for 10 brands and Rs 50,000 per additional brand. "Some of the prominent single malts are not available in Delhi because the companies decided not to sell here due to discriminatory licence fees. Let there be a level playing field and healthy competition," said Iyer. Poor retail density is another reason why Delhi's revenue from liquor trade has not grown as much as in the neighbouring states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. According to industry experts, Delhi has about 762 liquor and wine shops, of which only 603 are operational. This brings Delhi's retail density to 2.7 retail shops per lakh population, against the national average retail density of 5.2. In comparison, the retail density in UP is 4.1 and in Haryana 7.8. Officials said nearly 30% of Delhi living in unauthorised colonies remained completely unserved, leading to smuggling of non-duty-paid liquor from the neighbouring states. Delhi prohibits the opening of liquor shops in non-conforming areas. Officials estimate that the state is losing Rs 1,300–1,500 crore yearly due to the rule. With Delhi govt likely to bring a new liquor policy, the industry players have several expectations. Officials agreed that serious changes were required in certain rules, which may not only create a level playing field for both Indian and foreign players but also prevent customers from going to Gurgaon or Noida to buy their stock. "We are in the process of making certain changes in our policy," said an official. The excise policy in the capital is announced at the beginning of each financial year. The excise department extended the policy of the 2024–25 financial year for three months this year, till June 30, 2025. Sources said the govt may announce a new policy soon. Sanjit Padhi, chief executive officer of the International Spirits and Wines Association of India, said as the national capital, Delhi should be the leading city in providing the best retail infrastructure to both its residents and visitors. "We believe that with a progressive retail policy, the state can provide its consumers not only brand choice but also a retail infrastructure that would be comparable to its neighbouring states in terms of buying experience and choice of leading brands. This would also lead to enhanced revenue, as consumers do not have to travel to neighbouring cities for their favourite brands," Padhi said.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Time of India
Delhi govt plans to revamp GTB memorial as key tourist attraction
New Delhi: Delhi govt has decided to revamp Guru Teg Bahadur Memorial, located near the Singhu border on GT Road, and develop it into a tourist attraction. Officials said Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation had initiated the process to engage a consultant to conceptualise, design and create a light and sound show, while the repair and beautification of the memorial had already started. According to them, tourism minister Kapil Mishra and environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa visited the memorial along with a team of officials in April and found it in a state of neglect. Mishra had said the place deserved to be a cultural and spiritual beacon and would soon be revamped to include laser shows, cultural performances and guided heritage tours, while visitor facilities would be upgraded to make it a must-visit destination for devotees and tourists alike. A govt official mentioned that the show would feature vibrant visuals and animations, making it a unique and memorable event. "The consultant is expected to give particular attention to the life of Guru Teg Bahadur. The design should preferably be energy efficient, using traditional materials, natural light, etc. The laser-controlled sound and light show has been proposed to be based on the life of Guru Teg Bahadur, 'Hind Ki Chadar'," said an official. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Spanning 11.87 acres, the memorial is dedicated to the supreme sacrifice of the ninth guru of Sikhism. The complex features a 24-metre-high central pylon symbolising his spiritual strength, flanked by three C-shaped arches representing his followers, and 10 monoliths inscribed with the teachings of the 10 Sikh gurus. Officials said the light and sound show was once a popular attraction at the site, but was non-functional for several years. "We now intend to develop it in a manner that allows tourists and pilgrims from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir to visit and learn about the life and sacrifices of Guru Teg Bahadur," said an official.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
15 years on, CWG streetscape set for modern makeover
New Delhi: During the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG), Delhi govt beautified roads leading to sports venues with streetscaping, resurfacing, and new streetlights. However, over the last 15 years, the sleek information panels, benches, toilets, and kiosks have not only suffered damage over time, but vandalism too. Now, Delhi govt is working to restore their appearance and add new facilities. Officials said the public works department (PWD) has entrusted the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) to engage a concessionaire to maintain, operate, and upgrade the already installed street furniture and bring new items wherever required on its roads in the vicinity of the CWG venues on a build, operate, and transfer basis. A senior Delhi govt official said the areas have been divided into five different clusters. While cluster one includes the Delhi University area, Ring Road, and Mall Road to Chhatrasal Stadium in north Delhi, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the stretch of Ring Road (Rajghat to Moolchand Flyover), Bhairon Marg, and Indraprastha Marg have been kept in cluster two. R.K. Khanna Tennis Complex and Africa Avenue Marg are part of cluster three; Siri Fort Sports Complex and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range are in cluster four; and Commonwealth Games Village, Yamuna Sports Complex, Noida Link Road, Akshardham, Mayur Vihar, and Vikas Marg have been included in cluster five. "We have asked the DTTDC to install all new temporary and semi-permanent street furniture items – traffic and police booths, vending kiosks, public toilets, tree guards, dustbins, information panels, benches, and free-standing panels – in cluster four (area around Siri Fort Complex and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range). All other clusters will have both new as well as repaired and revamped items," said an official. Officials said they have shared the GPS (global positioning system) locations of existing sites with the DTTDC. In some cases, the location of the furniture items might have changed due to road reengineering by various agencies, but most of them continue to remain where they were originally installed during the Games in 2010 and were widely used by the people. "In cluster four and in other areas too where the new items have to be installed, the concessionaire will have to get the design and pattern approved by DTTDC before commencing the work. While the new installations will have to be completed in a year's time, the repair and revamp work will have to be finished within six months of awarding the contract," said an official. Each unit of dustbin will consist of biodegradable and non-biodegradable bins. Officials said the police booth, auto prepaid booth, and free-standing panels will have the same specifications, design, and colour as the existing street furniture items.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Delhi: Massive fire breaks out at iconic Dilli Haat, over 25 shops gutted; all details here
A massive fire broke out at Dilli Haat A massive fire broke out at Delhi's popular Dilli Haat market in the INA area on the evening of April 30, 2025, causing significant damage to numerous stalls and shops. The blaze erupted around 8:55 PM, prompting an immediate response from the Delhi Fire Service, which deployed 14 fire engines to the scene. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported. A popular destination for both residents and visitors, Dilli Haat is renowned for its colorful display of handicrafts and regional cuisines. About 30 stores were destroyed in the fire, including a number of food stands and handicraft stores. Store owners have reported significant losses; some have estimated damages to be in the crores. After setting up the station with loans, one vendor bemoaned the loss of his entire life's savings, while another mentioned losing goods worth INR 1.5 crore. Videos circulating on social media captured the intensity of the fire, showing flames engulfing the market and thick smoke billowing into the sky. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and investigations are underway. Read more: New Everest rules: Nepal proposes stricter requirements for climbers; find details here by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Kapil Mishra, Delhi's Minister of Art, Culture, and Language, affirmed that the fire had been contained and that no injuries had been reported. He said he was on his way to Dilli Haat to evaluate the situation and that the administration and fire department were on the scene. The incident has raised concerns about fire safety measures in public markets. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire and evaluate the adequacy of existing safety protocols. In the meantime, efforts are being made to support the affected vendors and restore the market to its former vibrancy. Beyond just being a location to shop, Dilli Haat has long been a beloved cultural hub and a representation of India's diversity. The market is run by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), which brings together artisans from across the country under one roof, and honours India's rich cultural heritage with a rotating exhibit of traditional crafts, textiles, jewellery, ceramics, and home décor items. Read more: Noida soon to get its first Deer Park: A new wildlife sanctuary with sunset safari Each stall at Dilli Haat is typically allotted on a rotational basis to craftsmen under government schemes supporting rural artisans and self-help groups. For many sellers, especially from remote parts of India, Dilli Haat offers a rare and vital opportunity to reach urban consumers and sustain their craft-based livelihoods. The food court area, a gastronomic haven where regional cuisines from regions like Nagaland, Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Kashmir come together, is equally well-known. Folk performances, art exhibits, and cultural festivals are frequently presented on the premises, and visitors frequently come for more than just shopping. Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
