New Delhi: Under the second phase of unlock, the Delhi government has allowed liquor shops to reopen. However, to ensure compliance to Covid appropriate behaviour, the Arvind Kejriwal government has now directed all liquor vends in the city to deploy adequate marshals and staff to strictly ensure that social distancing and wearing masks at the shops are strictly followed.
It also directed the vendors to “coordinate with the local administration and police to maintain security and order”.
“All the four Government Corporations viz. DSIIDC, DTTDC, DSCSC and DCCWS shall deploy adequate marshals at all their vends (L-6 & L-8) and private licensees (L-7, L-9 & L-10) shall deploy their staff to ensure that COVID Appropriate Behaviour viz. wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing, regular use of sanitiser, no consumption of liquor, pan, gutkha, tobacco, etc. shall be ensured in all the liquor shops/vends/licensees,” the Excise Department said in an order issued on June 6.
There are around 850 liquor shops in the city, including those run by government agencies and private individuals. At present, 40 per cent of around 850 liquor vends in the national capital are run by private players.
There are currently four-state run agencies — the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, the Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited and the Delhi Consumer’s Cooperative Wholesale — to sell liquor in the city.
The Delhi government had earlier announced that liquor stores in the city will open on an odd-even basis from 10 am to 8 pm.
Delhi has been under strict lockdown due to unprecedented surge in Covid cases since April 19. However, as Covid cases and daily positivity rate continues to decline, the Delhi administration has started phase-wise unlocking exercise. The ongoing lockdown imposed since April 19 has been extended further to June 16.
(With Agency inputs)