[category]
[title]
Delhi residents can now book and pay for liquor online through a new government-run app, though they will still have to collect their orders from a physical store. The Delhi Liquor Booking app allows users to browse brands, check stock availability and make payments digitally, with home delivery not available.
Launched by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), the service is currently available at 208 liquor outlets across the capital.
The initiative aims to reduce queues outside liquor shops, ease pressure on payment counters and improve transparency in pricing and billing. But there's a catch – customers must collect their orders from their chosen outlet within 48 hours of payment.
How does the Delhi Liquor Booking app work?
It's very simple. Select an outlet, pick your preferred brand (if it's available there), bottle size and quantity, and pay online.
Once the booking is complete, the app generates a QR code. Take it to your selected liquor shop within 48 hours, have it scanned and collect your bottles. The bonus of booking online is that you won't discover that your preferred label has sold out only after making the trip to the store. There’s a guarantee now – and anybody who frequents Delhi's liquor stores knows that they run through stock pretty quickly, with rare shipments of foreign alcohol disappearing almost as quickly as they appear.
Also, if you happen to change your mind before collection, you can cancel your order. Once the bottles have been sold or picked up, though, returns are off the table.
Who can use the app?
Before you start browsing the virtual shelves, there’s an age check to keep in mind. The facility is open to customers aged 25 and above, in line with Delhi’s excise rules.
Existing purchase limits also remain in place. Under the applicable rules, an individual can purchase up to nine litres of whisky and 18 litres of beer.
What liquor stores will the app cover?
Not all, yet. DSIIDC is one of four government corporations authorised to operate retail liquor outlets in Delhi. Together, the four run more than 700 liquor shops across the capital, but the online booking facility is currently limited to DSIIDC’s 208 outlets.
The other three operators are the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation (DSCSC) and Delhi Consumers’ Cooperative Wholesale Store (DCCWS).
As for whether the app will eventually roll out across more outlets, that remains up in the air. Officials say the initial response has been underwhelming, and any expansion will depend on how customers take to the service.
So, Delhi’s liquor run has finally entered the digital age – though home delivery'd be the cherry on the icing.