Delhi yet to find space to run liquor vends at IGI airport

Liquor will not be available at IGI's domestic terminals here anytime soon as the Delhi government agency assigned to run the vends there is yet to find space for those, officials said on Friday. The Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) that has been assigned the job is still looking for space to open six vends, they said.

The Excise department had issued licenses to a private bidder for six premium liquor stores that were shut as the new excise policy wound up on August 31.

The capital returned to regime within a year on Thursday with the opening of nearly 350 government-run liquor vends and exit of private players from retail business.


"The private vendor running the six liquor stores had rented shop spaces on two year contract with the airport operator. It has not yet vacated the shops despite closure of retail liquor sale," officials said.

The DTTDC has informed the excise department about the problem it is facing to find space to open liquor vends, they said.

The duty-free liquor stores at the airport's international terminal are running normally as they are out of excise ambit, officials said.

The airport zone faced issues even when the excise policy 2021-22 was implemented in November last year, after the licensee was able to open only six of the 10 shops there by February 2012-22.