To ensure social distancing and to stop overcrowding at liquor shops, the Delhi government on Thursday launched an e-token service with a time slot for people to buy alcohol at any nearby store.
The Delhi government said in a statement that it took this decision to encourage people to avoid long queues by applying for an e-token.
Here’s how the process works:
• People can apply for an e-token through the link ‘https://www.qtoken.in/’
• Users have to provide their name and phone number, following which the e-token will be sent to the phone
• Tokens will be also be issued for those standing in queues, as per a Delhi government order
Why it has been done?
The e-token will help maintaining social distancing and cut down on waiting time in long queues by specifying time for each e-coupon holder to buy liquor at a shop.
The people will require to furnish address of liquor shop in their area along with their mobile number and other details, while applying for e-token on the web link.
However, the website for the token crashed within a few hours of its launch. A senior official attributed that to “high traffic within a limited time after announcement”. The link is still not working.
Following the guidelines of the Central government, the Delhi government had given permission to open about 200 shops across the national capital from Monday onwards. However, due to overcrowding and long queues in some areas, only 50 shops could be kept open.
Liquor shops would also start issuing coupons to people standing outside in queues, as per a government order, which also directed the deployment of marshals, to ensure social distancing, and use of more barricades, for area management.
The additional tax of 70% on the maximum retail price of liquor would continue in Delhi.
Delhi has 864 liquor shops, of which 475 are owned by government departments, ranging from tourism to industrial and infrastructure development. The other 389 are owned by private individuals and enterprises.
