Maharashtra: Excise department to start e-token system for liquor sale

Maharashtra excise department has decided to start an online token system on a pilot basis for sale of liquor in Pune city to avoid crowding at shops. move comes after tipplers gared in large numbers outside liquor shops at several places in state last week, defying physical distancing rms to contain spread of coronavirus.

Under new system, a person can get a token by registering on state excise departments portal and n go to shop to buy liquor, a senior department official said on Monday. Only those who get token can go to shop and buy liquor. It will help in preventing long queues of people outside liquor shops.

Huge crowds outside shops put a lot of pressure on state administration to enforce physical distancing, he said. government plans to issue a limited number of tokens for liquor sale to avoid crowding on streets, he said. system will be started on a pilot basis in Pune city and if found successful, it will be replicated in or parts of state, he added.