In a cheerful news for flyers, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport will soon open liquor shops for domestic travelers, with Delhi Consumers’ Cooperative Wholesale Store Limited planning to operate one at T3’s arrival section by the first week of July and another at T1’s departure area in the subsequent weeks, ToI reported on June 26.
This initiative aims to help Delhi regain share of domestic liquor sales following the closure of the private-operated premium liquor stores due to the rescission of Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 in September 2022, the report (by Atul Mathur) said.
The arrival and departure areas of T3 currently have duty-free shops where international travelers can purchase liquor. However, domestic terminals will soon join the fray with their own shops following this new development. At its peak, the Delhi airport‘s domestic terminals housed six premium liquor stores, run by private entities, under the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. After the policy was withdrawn amid investigations by the CBI and ED for alleged irregularities, the Delhi government decided to return to the old excise regime, pushing the retail liquor business to four government corporations.Initially, Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation and Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation attempted to secure space at the airport for their liquor shops but couldn’t agree on rental terms with the airport operator. Eventually, Delhi Consumers’ Cooperative Wholesale Store Limited succeeded in striking a deal for space, leading to the upcoming shops.
The store at T3’s arrival area will occupy about 750 square feet. Customers will be able to freely navigate the shop to pick their preferred brands of premium liquor.
The FTI-TTP is a visionary initiative aimed at providing Indian nationals and OCI cardholders with a faster, easier, and more secure travel experience. Eligible individuals can apply online, with the registration process taking up to one month. Applicants must ensure their passports have at least six months of validity at the time of application, as membership will be co-terminus with passport validity.
“The resumption of liquor shops at domestic terminals will be most welcomed by travelers into and from the city who earlier bought their choice of alcobev products on their way in or out of Delhi. This will also help the state regain some of the sales lost to NCR regions and further improve its excise collection,” ToI quoted Nita Kapoor, chief executive officer of the International Spirits and Wines Association of India, as saying.Kapoor observed that liquor shops at domestic terminals are popular in other cities like Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Kerala, and noted that even mini-metros and tier-1 towns are planning similar initiatives to boost local sales.
Vinod Giri, director general of Brewers Association of India, highlighted the significance of these stores. “Liquor stores at Indira Gandhi International Airport were a great retailing point for premium alcohol. But more importantly, they cued the modern, tolerant and progressive face of Delhi, as expected from the capital of a major country. This trend was later picked up by several airports across the country, thus helping alcohol with greater social acceptance,” Giri remarked.
Giri also mentioned the prior challenges faced by government-owned retailing corporations in securing leases at the airport. “If the two sides can work out a deal and reopen the shops, it will create a convenient purchase point for traveling consumers, enhance retailing experience at the Delhi airport and the capital’s pre-eminence as a forward-thinking city,” he told the newspaper.
The new shops are expected to address the gap left by the closure of previous stores and boost the capital’s excise revenue. As air travel continues to grow, the reopening of these liquor stores at domestic terminals aligns with broader trends seen in other major and emerging metropolitan areas across the country.
