Tipple sale ticks a 10% high in Lucknow on Holi

LUCKNOW: Holi festivities were at their peak in the city with cheers breaking past records of the excise department, which managed to rake in the highest amount of sales on March 6 and 7.
While March 8 (when colours were being played) was a dry day, tipplers in the city queued up at the shops to pick up their stock in advance.
The department recorded 10% higher sales compared to the previous Holi in 2022.
District excise officer SK Mishra said that revenue amounting to Rs 21.5 crore was generated through sales of country liquor, IMFL and beer. "We always take a two-day window to calculate the festive sale ahead of Holi and Diwali. A lot of people who want to avoid rush while buying their preferred brands get active ahead of the festival to purchase liquor. This time 10% higher revenue was generated in Lucknow district," said Mishra.
While on an average the city witnesses sale of Rs 6 crore (annual collection of Lucknow hovers in the range of Rs 2,100 crore to Rs 2,200 crore), on March 6 and 7 shops in the city were able to rake in Rs 21 crore. Last year when Holi was celebrated on March 18, during the two days preceding the festival sales of about Rs 19 crore had taken place.
Within the city the pockets where highest demand was observed were Sushant Golf City, Ahimamau, Gosainganj and Chak Gajaria among other localities around Sultanpur road), followed by Vibhuti Khand, Gomtinagar, Gomtinagar Extension and Khargapur among others.
Besides, the Aliganj-Jankipuram-Madiaon cluster also witnessed high sale volumes during the festival.