Swiggy starts home delivery of alcohol amid lockdown; begins from Ranchi

Food ordering and delivery platform Swiggy on Thursday said it has started home delivery of alcohol in Ranchi and is in talks with various state governments to provide support with online processing and home delivery of alcohol in their states.

The service has gone live in Ranchi and will be launched in other major cities in Jharkhand within a week, Swiggy said.

The company is also in advanced stage of discussions with multiple state governments to provide support with online processing and home delivery of alcohol, it added.

To ensure safe delivery of alcohol in compliance with applicable laws, Swiggy has introduced measures such as mandatory age verification and user authentication to complete deliveries, the statement said.

“By enabling home delivery of alcohol in a safe and responsible manner, we can generate additional business for retail outlets while solving the problem of overcrowding, thereby promoting social distancing,” Swiggy Vice-President (Products) Anuj Rathi said.

Taking advantage of the company's existing technology and infrastructure to enable hyperlocal deliveries, it has been working closely with the local authorities to support them with initiatives like expansion of grocery delivery and COVID-19 relief efforts, he added.

Swiggy is partnering with authorised retailers after validating their licence and other required documents as outlined by respective state governments, the statement said.

The online processing and home delivery of alcohol is through the 'Wine Shops' category on the the company's app, it added.