Jaipur: Tipplers in the state will soon stroll into posh, air-conditioned showrooms to purchase their favourite premium brands. The excise department is launching 48 ‘model liquor shops’ across major cities, strategically located in malls, shopping complexes, and other high-footfall areas.Jaipur is set to receive five such outlets, while Jodhpur and Udaipur will get two each. Mount Abu and Abu Road—treated as distinct zones due to their proximity to Gujarat, a dry state, will have one outlet each. The remaining 37 shops will be auctioned across various cities.An official said, “The minimum reserve price for model shops in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mount Abu, and Abu Road has been fixed at Rs 1 crore per outlet. For other locations, the base price is Rs 50 lakh. The online auction is scheduled for July 7, with a non-refundable participation fee of Rs 50,000 per shop. Bidders may not raise their bids by more than 10% over the base price in a single attempt.”To qualify, a minimum space of 1,000 sq ft is required in Jaipur, while 500 sq ft suffices in other cities. Each outlet must be fully air-conditioned and offer a walk-in experience. For enhanced transparency and customer convenience, POS billing systems and hologram-scanning beep machines will be mandatory.Only premium alcoholic beverages will be available for sale—beer priced above Rs 200 per 650 ml and Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) brands costing Rs 1,500 or more per 750 ml bottle. The initiative is part of the state’s 2025–2029 excise and liquor regulation policy.An official explained, “This concept is already in place in several metropolitan areas, including Gurugram. Many premium brands have so far hesitated to launch in Rajasthan due to concerns over inadequate shelf display. As a result, customers often travel to other states to purchase premium liquor. This initiative aims to bridge that gap.”
