Though liquor sale has started from all retail outlets in the city and the East Singhbhum district however, it will take some time to have the liquor bottles delivered at doorstep. An official of Excise Department said that as per the notification of the state government sale of liquor began at all the 118 retail outlets but home delivery is yet to kick from steel city.

“We have started sale of liquor from counters of all the retail outlets. We are still waiting for the details  from the government on the sale of liquor bottles through online suppliers like Zomato and Swiggy for doorstep delivery. It would take some time for agreement between the government and the private operators. Till then people will have to get liquor from the counters of the retail outlets while abiding with safety protocols for Covid-19 pandemics,” said Manoj Kumar, Jamshedpur Excise Assistant Commissioner.

East Singhbhum along with other big eight districts – Ranchi, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Deoghar, Ramgarh, Palamau and Giridih, as per the notification of the state excise department issued on Tuesday evening will have sale of liquor either from the counters or through online food delivery service provider like Zomato and Swiggy.

Though the sale of liquor had completely stopped during the lockdown came into effect on March 25, liquor bottles were still finding their ways to the boozers clandestinely across  steel city. Various popular brands of the Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) were sold at a premium. A popular brand of liquor, MRP of which is Rs 900, was sold at a price ranging between Rs 1,200 and  Rs 1,600 a bottle.  But the liquor bottles were changing hands to the ultimate users only through 'reliable' people.