Noida: The city saw a 22% surge in liquor sales in the three days preceding Holi, with country-made liquor topping the charts with nearly 3 lakh bulk litres sold between March 1 and 3, followed by beer at 2.7 lakh bulk litres and IMFL at 1.9 lakh bulk litres.While a total of 7.7 lakh litres worth Rs 32 crore flew off the shelves during the period, peak sales of Rs 13 crore recorded on March 3 alone. Typically, Noida sees booze sales of around Rs 4-5 crore a day.“The festival season always brings an increase in alcohol sales, and this time the demand was significantly high. Compared to last year’s Holi, when liquor sales were around Rs 27 crore in the three days preceding Holi on March 13, this year saw a jump in overall sales by 22.2%,” district excise officer Subodh Kumar said. In 2024, liquor worth Rs 23 crore was sold in the NCR city ahead of Holi. Bhang sales also increased slightly this March, with a single licensed shop reporting sales of Rs 2 lakh, up from Rs 1.8 lakh last year, as residents stocked up for traditional Holi beverages and delicacies. Liquor shops were closed across UP on Holi on account of a dry day.Around 150 occasional party licences were issued between March 1 and 3 for pre-Holi parties. Excise department had made it mandatory for hotels, banquet halls, and clubs to obtain permits to serve or allow the consumption of alcohol at events hosted by or on their premises. Senior officials said the excise department took multiple steps to monitor sales, especially during peak demand seasons. As part of enforcement drives, excise teams carried out inspections at licenced liquor outlets and canteens across the district. They also checked for regulated pricing at these outlets, POS transactions at beer shops, and proper CCTV monitoring. Secret test purchases were also carried out to verify compliance with pricing and rules.Currently, Noida has 501 liquor shops, including 234 country-made liquor shops, 239 composite shops, 27 model shops, and 1 bhaang shop.
