Kerala reopen liquor shops from today; tipplers can book tokens on BevQ app
Kerala reopened liquor shops starting Thursday onwards for the first time since the nation-wide lockdown was imposed. However, Kerala government has launched a mobile app ‘BevQ’ through which tipplers have to book liquor before collecting it from the respective outlets. This decision is taken to avoid long queues in front of liquor shops. Only 5 people are allowed to wait before an outlet at any point of time and only takeaways are allowed.
BevQ App is developed by Kerala-based Start-Up Faircode Technologies Private Limited. Google on Wednesday gave its nod to go live on the Play Store. The mobile app was launched for virtual queue management of the liquor sale.
The Kerala Excise Minister said, “We have decided to create a mobile application for crowd management at liquor shops. This is not for home delivery but to book tokens for sale through beverage shops and bars. Our plan is to create a virtual queue management system.”
The Kerala government has allowed as many as 576 bar hotels, 291 beer parlors and 301 government outlets to sell alcohol, beer, wine and beer to be sold at MRP.
How to book tokens through BevQ App:
As per the government’s guidelines, once a person registers and selects a time slot for the closest liquor outlets as shown by the app, a confirmation is received in the form of QR code, token number, outlet details and time. For those who do not have smart phones, person can make a booking once in four days. They can be made through the BevQ application or via SMS.
One single user, after basic verification of identity, can buy the liquor once every four days through the app’s tokening system. The liquor outlets will remain open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and bookings on the app can be done between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm.
Apart from government-run liquor outlets, even bars and Wine and Beer parlours can sell liquor too, through this app, but only takeaways will be allowed.
