The Delhi Excise Department has made a significant decision to allow a liquor shop at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport to operate round the clock. This marks a departure from the standard operating hours observed by retail liquor shops in Delhi, which typically open from 10 am to 10 pm. The newly licensed shop, under the management of Delhi Consumers Cooperative Wholesale Store Limited, will be located at Terminal 3 of IGI Airport. It will offer a wide selection of national and international liquor brands approved by the excise department.
This move is notable as it is the first instance under current excise policies where an L-10 category liquor store will operate within the airport premises. The shop, spanning 750 square feet in the arrival area of Terminal 3, will feature a self-service format for customers. Its round-the-clock availability aims to cater not only to international travelers, who traditionally accessed duty-free options, but also to domestic passengers and airport staff.
The decision is viewed as crucial by the Delhi Government’s Excise Department, intending to extend access to quality liquor options to airport visitors and nearby residents who previously had limited choices. It is anticipated to discourage liquor smuggling along the Haryana-Delhi border area as well.
This initiative follows the closure of six premium liquor shops at IGI Airport’s domestic terminals in September 2022, amid controversies surrounding the then-existing excise policy, which has since been repealed. Currently, the matter is under investigation by the CBI and ED.
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