In Visakhapatnam district, the auction for retail liquor outlets has seen a tremendous response. By 5 p.m. on October 9, a total of 2,360 applications had been received for 155 shops, generating approximately ₹47 crore in revenue. The deadline for applications was initially set for October 9, but it has been extended by two days to October 11.
On October 8, there were 1,123 applications, but after the deadline extension and due to the auspicious occasion of ‘Moola Nakshatram,’ an additional 929 applications came in, bringing the total to 2,360.
Of the 155 shops, 136 will be located within the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation limits, while 19 will be in rural areas like Bheemunipatnam and Pendurthy. The Excise Department reported that popular locations such as Siripuram and Beach Road saw high demand, while some rural areas received no applications before the new rules were introduced.
District Excise & Prohibition Officer R. Prasad noted that each shop received an average of about 15 applications. He expects this number to rise further with the extended deadline.
The draw for the shops will take place on October 14 at the VMRDA Children’s Arena, starting at 8 a.m., and will be overseen by the District Collector to ensure transparency. Successful applicants will receive provisional licenses on the same day and can begin purchasing liquor online from October 16.
