Zomato is reportedly looking to start delivering alcohol in India during the lockdown period. The good aggregator App is looking to cash in on the high demand for booze during the lockdown.
As per a report by Reuters, the homegrown food delivery company is looking to deliver alcohol at the doorstep. The company has revealed that it would target “areas that are relatively less affected by the COVID-19”. “We believe that a technology-enabled home delivery based solution can promote responsible consumption of alcohol,” Mohit Gupta, Zomato’s CEO for food delivery, wrote in a business proposal to International Spirits and Wines Association of India (ISWAI), reports Reuters.
There are no legal provisions in India for conducting home deliveries of alcohol. However, the industry body ISWAI is lobbying to change the same along with Zomato and others. The body says that alcohol delivers will help boost state revenues, which is affected due to lockdown.
To recall, alcohol stores were closed nationwide on March 25 due to Coronavirus lockdown. However, the government allowed them to re-open this week. This resulted in hundreds of people queueing outside the liquor stores forcing police to baton charges in order to enforce social distancing protocols.
In order to deter large crowds, the Delhi government introduced a ‘Special Corona fee’ of 70 per cent hike in retail prices of alcohol. Mumbai, which is worst affected with Coronavirus decided to shut its liquor stores within two days of opening it. Following Delhi, Tamil Nadu has also hiked the duty on alcohol to generate more revenues during the lockdown period.