New Delhi, July 16: Indian states may soon allow online delivery of alcohol through platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit and Bigbasket. Several states are reportedly considering pilot projects to enable the home delivery of low-alcohol drinks via these online food delivery apps. Reports suggest that several states like New Delhi, Punjab,  Goa, Karnataka, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, are considering pilot projects to enable the home delivery of alcohol through online platforms. It means that people may soon be able to order liquor online.

As per a report of Economic Times, several Indian states are considering pilot projects to allow home delivery of alcohol via online platforms like Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit and Bigbasket starting with low-alcohol drinks. Zomato, Swiggy Price Hike: Online Food Delivery Companies Increase 20% Platform Fee to INR 6; Check Details.

These pilot projects will likely test the feasibility and impact of such services, focusing initially on less concentrated alcoholic beverages. If it is implemented, by using Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit and Bigbasket customers can avoid the hassle of visiting liquor stores and can conveniently place orders online. Rahul Singh, chief executive of The Beer Cafe, said, "By enabling online home deliveries of liquor, states can enhance consumer convenience, drive economic growth."

As per reports, during the COVID-19 lockdowns, some states like Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Assam temporarily allowed alcohol deliveries with certain restrictions. Some states like Odisha and West Bengal already have alcohol delivery services. Now, other states like New Delhi, Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Kerala are also considering the possibility of introducing similar services. Zomato Fails To Deliver Momos Worth INR 133, Told To Pay INR 60,000 to Woman in Karnataka.

To address concerns regarding unregulated online sales of alcohol, certain measures have been implemented. These measures include mandatory electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) verification, setting purchase limits, and implementing One-Time Password (OTP) verifications. These steps are taken to ensure that online sales of alcohol are regulated through proper checks to verify the identity of the buyer and prevent misuse.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 16, 2024 12:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).