UT officials said the tendering process for the remaining four licensing units has been initiated and expressed confidence that the strong bidder interest would continue.The second round of e-auction under Chandigarh’s Excise Policy 2026–27 has generated Rs 62.38 crore from 11 retail liquor vends, 15.64 per cent higher than the reserve price of Rs 53.94 crore, UT officials said on Wednesday.A total of 19 bids were received, while the administration also collected Rs 38 lakh as participation fee.The response in the second round comes days after the UT Administration rolled out the new excise policy, which emphasises transparency and technology-driven allocation through e-tendering.UT excise officials said the policy incorporates stakeholder feedback and aims to curb monopolistic practices while maximising revenue.Among the key features introduced this year are end-to-end e-tendering, permission for bars to procure liquor directly, inter-vend stock transfers, enhanced security provisions and GPS-based tracking of supply chains.In the first round of e-tendering held on March 19, the Excise and Taxation Department had received 195 bids for 82 vends, generating Rs 487.68 crore against a reserve price of Rs 376.24 crore — an increase of nearly 29 per cent. Participation fees of Rs 3.90 crore were also collected.Taken together, the two rounds have fetched Rs 550.06 crore from 93 vends, surpassing the combined reserve price of Rs 430.18 crore by 28 per cent. The department has earned Rs 4.28 crore in participation fees so far.UT officials said the tendering process for the remaining four licensing units has been initiated and expressed confidence that the strong bidder interest would continue.The latest auction figures follow a robust performance in the previous excise cycle as well.In the first round of e-auction, the Palsora vend, located near the Mohali border, had emerged as the highest-grossing unit for the second consecutive year, attracting a bid of Rs 16.71 crore against a base price of Rs 11.41 crore.Apart from Palsora, the second-highest bid of Rs 12.27 crore was recorded for a vend at Dhanas against a reserve price of Rs 9.62 crore. A Sector 61 vend secured the third spot, fetching Rs 11.52 crore compared to its base price of Rs 8.21 crore.Story continues below this adThe UT officials said that “after this phenomenal success, the department is also geared up to implement other measures outlined in the policy approved by Governor of Punjab-cum-the Administrator and Chief Secretary, U.T., Chandigarh”.The Excise Policy 2026-27 has been approved by the UT Administrator, incorporating key stakeholder suggestions and focusing on transparency, technology-driven e-tendering, and increased revenue. Measures to curb monopolies, along with features like liquor procurement by bars, inter-vend transfers, enhanced security, and GPS tracking, have been introduced.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd