Summers are approaching and beer lovers are on the lookout for chilled bottles of their favourite brands. But most liquor vends in the city seem to be turning them back empty-handed.
Even as consumers in different parts of the city raised the issues at the vends, officials concerned refuted the complaints about popular brands missing from the shelves but admitted that tenders have been placed by corporations for refrigerators and chillers and they will be available at the shops soon.
Under the current excise regime in Delhi, four undertakings of the Delhi government – DSIIDC, DTTDC, DSCSC and DCCWS – are engaged in retail liquor sales through more than 550 stores across the city.
No reaction was available from the corporations on the lack of refrigeration facilities at the vends run by them.
A consumer outside a liquor store near the DSIIDC office in Connaught Place complained about the unavailability of beer brands.
“They are offering brands whose names I am hearing for the first time. None of my two-three favourite ones is available,” he said.
Another consumer in Laxmi Nagar complained that the liquor shops were not selling chilled beer.
“I used to pick up a couple of bottles and drink them after reaching home. Now, they are selling beer at room temperature,” he added.
People running the vends admitted that refrigerators were unavailable and so a majority of consumers, many of them youngsters, were returning empty-handed.