The Delhi government's excise department has granted a licence to the Delhi Consumer's Cooperative Wholesale Store Ltd (DCCWS) to operate a retail liquor store in the arrival area of Terminal 3 at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, officials confirmed on Sunday.

This is the first L-10 liquor store of its kind at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport by any Delhi government agency in the current excise regime, said an excise department official. 

So far, there are only duty-free liquor stores operational at the arrival and departure area of Terminal-3 of the Delhi airport which cater to international travellers.

At present, there is no liquor store at any of the three terminals of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport for facilitating domestic travellers and the large number of staff working there, officials said.

The store will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, unlike other retail liquor shops in Delhi, which are only open from 10 am to 10 pm.

 "It is a self-service store, with a walk-in experience for the customers in an area of 750 square feet approximately. Customers can pick up the desired brand of their choice on their own," he said.

All national and international brands registered with the excise department have been made available at the store, he said.

"The store will remain open 24x7 whereas all other retail liquor shops in Delhi are operational from 10 am to 10 pm only," he said.

A comparative rate chart of different liquors being sold in other parts of the country will be displayed through LED screens to facilitate general customers. All kinds of payment facilities like UPI, credit card and debit card have been made available at the store, they said.

This store will serve a large number of customers in and around Delhi Airport being a commercial hub.

"The strategic location of the L-10 Liquor store at Terminal-3 will not only cater to a large unserved area around the Haryana- delhi border but also help in curbing the illegal supply of non-duty paid liquor from the neighbouring states," the official added.

(With PTI Inputs)