KOLKATA: After five dry weeks, tipplers in Kolkata will finally get a taste of their favourite booze. In a major development, off-shops in non-containment zones in Kolkata have been allowed to open from 12pm on Monday. Around 35-40 such liquor shops will roll their shutters up in central and some parts of south Kolkata. The timings, however, may change from Tuesday depending on instructions from Nabanna.
Initially, the excise department had verbally informed off-shop owners in green and orange zones that they could open. After taking stock of the situation in the city, it has decided to go ahead with the plan in Kolkata too. “We received calls from excise officials to open our shop from Monday,” said an off-shop owner in a non-containment zone in central Kolkata.
The city has over 600 off-shops, but, according to sources, only a few of them will open. However, as of now, all shops in north Kolkata will remain shut because of the containment-zone rule.
The state excise department on Sunday initiated the groundwork for resuming liquor trade. All the deputy excise commissioners were asked to prepare a list of stand-alone off-shops in non-containment zones and discuss them with the respective excise superintendents on Sunday. The MHA has allowed off-shops to open in all non- containment zones, irrespective of green, orange or red.
“Deputy excise commissioners will assess the number of off-shops outside market complexes or malls in their respective areas. In case of red zones, they will assess if the shop is in a containment zone,” a source said. On Saturday, there had been a dozen circulars — allegedly from the excise department — doing the rounds on social media. However, it has been learnt that the department has not issued any official circular for resumption of liquor trade following the MHA directive.
A retailer told TOI that, as far as he knew, liquor shops would open from Monday in green and orange zones and some parts of red zones. “If off-shops open in red zones, it will be for a shorter period than in the other areas,” he said. In the green and orange zones, off-shops will open at 10am.
A few states, including Karnataka, Assam, Maharastra and Meghalaya, have also allowed liquor shops to open from Monday.
In another development, Bevco heads have been told to join work at respective warehouses by 10am on Monday. “Most of the Bevco warehouses have already started the process to resume operations,” added a source. Bengal has 22 Bevco warehouses and all of them are likely to reopen on Monday.
Amrit Kiran Singh, executive chairman of International Spirits and Wine Association of India, had earlier told TOI that it has advised all state excise departments to implement ‘Project Safe Shield’ — guidelines on how to sell liquor during the lockdown and beyond — while reopening off-shops. Bengal has an annual market for 14.1 million (1.4 crore) cases of hard IMFL, which includes whisky, rum and vodka, and 8 million (80 lakh) cases of beer.
Initially, the excise department had verbally informed off-shop owners in green and orange zones that they could open. After taking stock of the situation in the city, it has decided to go ahead with the plan in Kolkata too. “We received calls from excise officials to open our shop from Monday,” said an off-shop owner in a non-containment zone in central Kolkata.
The city has over 600 off-shops, but, according to sources, only a few of them will open. However, as of now, all shops in north Kolkata will remain shut because of the containment-zone rule.
The state excise department on Sunday initiated the groundwork for resuming liquor trade. All the deputy excise commissioners were asked to prepare a list of stand-alone off-shops in non-containment zones and discuss them with the respective excise superintendents on Sunday. The MHA has allowed off-shops to open in all non- containment zones, irrespective of green, orange or red.
“Deputy excise commissioners will assess the number of off-shops outside market complexes or malls in their respective areas. In case of red zones, they will assess if the shop is in a containment zone,” a source said. On Saturday, there had been a dozen circulars — allegedly from the excise department — doing the rounds on social media. However, it has been learnt that the department has not issued any official circular for resumption of liquor trade following the MHA directive.
A retailer told TOI that, as far as he knew, liquor shops would open from Monday in green and orange zones and some parts of red zones. “If off-shops open in red zones, it will be for a shorter period than in the other areas,” he said. In the green and orange zones, off-shops will open at 10am.
A few states, including Karnataka, Assam, Maharastra and Meghalaya, have also allowed liquor shops to open from Monday.
In another development, Bevco heads have been told to join work at respective warehouses by 10am on Monday. “Most of the Bevco warehouses have already started the process to resume operations,” added a source. Bengal has 22 Bevco warehouses and all of them are likely to reopen on Monday.
Amrit Kiran Singh, executive chairman of International Spirits and Wine Association of India, had earlier told TOI that it has advised all state excise departments to implement ‘Project Safe Shield’ — guidelines on how to sell liquor during the lockdown and beyond — while reopening off-shops. Bengal has an annual market for 14.1 million (1.4 crore) cases of hard IMFL, which includes whisky, rum and vodka, and 8 million (80 lakh) cases of beer.
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