CHANDIGARH - Till about two years back, the word ‘Ahata’ on a signboard did not get even a second look from most people in Chandigarh — whether drinkers or non-drinkers. But a simple change of name, thrown in with a few aesthetic interiors and classy looks have changed it all.

‘Ahata’, the street-corner liquor vend, seems to be on its way out in the union territory of Chandigarh, making way for the modern liquor shop or taverns.

The new taverns, which sport an aesthetic look, bear the ambience of any modern retail store that men are not shy of walking into and women are not afraid of passing by, are changing the drinking scene in India’s only planned city.

The ahata (which means a drinking place) concept underwent a change in the excise policy of 2007-08 with the Chandigarh administration venturing to encourage taverns.

Starting with just three taverns in the first year, as many as 16 such liquor vends have come up in Chandigarh now. While the first three liquor shops were confined to the city’s upscale northern sectors, all the new ones have come up across the 114-sq-km city.

Excise officials are all smiles as footfalls at these modern-looking liquor vends are increasing by the day. These have also started drawing women who prefer wines, beers and liqueurs but had been shy of visiting vends to make the buy.

“The Chandigarh administration had visualised this while introducing the concept of modern liquor shops where people can walk in, take a look at the available brands lined up on the shelves, make a pick and walk away with it after making the payment at the counter,” Chandigarh’s Finance-cum-Excise secretary Sanjay Kumar said.

With a view to encouraging modern liquor vends, the administration reduced the annual licence fee from Rs.2.5 million (Rs.25 lakh) to Rs.2 million (Rs.20 lakh), assessing the cost of doing up the outlet and providing for facilities in keeping with the guidelines.

The modern vends have to be fully air-conditioned, with tiled or wooden flooring, attractive interiors and a computerised system of issuing cash memos.

“Besides, the administration decided not to issue new licences for any pre-fabricated temporary structure, enhanced the annual fee of such vends from Rs.2.5 million (Rs.25 lakh) to Rs.3 million(Rs.30 lakh) to discourage them, and reduced their number to 152 from 156. In 2007-08, only three L-2 (meant for modern shops) licenses were issued but in 2008-09, their number rose to 16 and they are now spread all over the union territory,” Excise and Taxation Commissioner R.K. Rao said.

The administration had earlier been criticised for allowing ahatas at virtually every nook and corner of the city. In fact, there were, and still are, more liquor shops in the city of 1.1 million (11 lakh) people than government schools.

Rao claimed that the shift from ahatas to modern liquor shops had reduced drunken brawls.

“In 2005, a total of 2,649 incidents of drunken brawls were reported which increased to 4,109 in 2006 but came down to barely 1,000 in 2007,” he added.

Out to discourage intake of drinks with high alcoholic content, the administration has reduced the licence fee for low alcoholic drinks to Rs.2,000 per brand from Rs.5,000 and also made arrangements for their availability at department stores.

The administration has also allowed liquor producing companies wanting to launch their brands, to hold “free taste sessions” at these shops.

To increase the availability of imported brands, the administration has reduced the brand fee from Rs.5,000 to Rs.2,500 per brand.

The UT’s excise department mopped up a revenue of Rs.1.33 billion (Rs.133.85 crore) in 2008-09 - Rs.68.5 million (Rs. 6.85 crore) more than the fixed target of Rs.1.27 billion (Rs.127 crore).

The department netted excise duty of Rs.758.09 million (Rs.7,580.09 lakh) from Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), Rs.78.79 million (Rs.787.94 lakh) from beer, Rs.19.55 million (Rs.195.54 lakh) from country liquor and Rs. 1.19 million (Rs.11.9 lakh) from wine.

(Jaideep Sarin can be contacted at jaideep.s@ians.in)