Chandigarh’s thirst for liquor shows little sign of slowing. The city consumes an estimated 38,000 bottles every day, with whisky emerging as the drink of choice, followed by vodka and rum, according to the Chandigarh Administration’s latest excise data.
For the 2025-26 excise year, the administration has fixed an annual quota of 1,17,40,741 proof litres (PL) of IMFL, 8,00,000 PL of Imported Foreign Liquor (IFL) and 20,00,000 PL of country liquor. The combined quota of 1,45,40,741 PL is equivalent to nearly 2.76 crore bottles of 750 ml, or around 38,000 bottles a day.
“The objective is to ensure adequate availability across all liquor vends throughout the year, particularly during periods of peak demand, while maintaining effective regulatory oversight,” he said.
The quota underlines the dominance of IMFL, which accounts for nearly 81 per cent of the city’s total allocation. Country liquor constitutes around 14 per cent, while IFL accounts for about 5.5 per cent.
Officials said the quota has been designed to ensure uninterrupted supply across Chandigarh’s 97 liquor vends, which cater not only to city residents but also to buyers from neighbouring Punjab and Haryana, where liquor is generally costlier. Sales typically peak during weekends, festivals, the wedding season and New Year celebrations.
The trend over the past five excise years shows that liquor demand in Chandigarh has remained consistently strong. Barring a marginal dip in 2024-25, the annual quota has steadily increased, with the 2025-26 allocation being the highest in the last five years.
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A liquor contractor, requesting anonymity, said whisky continues to drive sales, followed by vodka and rum.
“Premium brands have seen a steady rise in demand over the last few years, especially among younger consumers and corporate buyers. Sales pick up sharply on weekends, festivals and during the wedding season, while month-end weekends are usually the busiest,” he said.
He added that consumer preferences have gradually shifted from economy brands to premium IMFL labels. While imported liquor continues to remain a niche segment because of higher prices, Chandigarh’s competitive liquor rates attract a large number of buyers from Punjab and Haryana, keeping demand robust throughout the year.
Retailers said imported liquor, though accounting for only around 5.5 per cent of the quota, remains a strong premium segment. Demand is driven largely by Scotch whisky, single malts, premium vodkas, gins, cognacs and imported wines, particularly among corporate professionals and high-income consumers. Sales rise sharply during festivals, weddings and year-end holidays.
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The quota figures also point to changing drinking patterns. The allocation for imported foreign liquor has more than doubled from 3.5 lakh PL in 2021-22 to 8 lakh PL in 2025-26, indicating rising demand for premium international brands. During the same period, the quota for country liquor has increased from 12 lakh PL to 20 lakh PL.
Chandigarh’s liquor consumption (2025-26)
Total annual liquor quota: 1,45,40,741 proof litres (PL)
Equivalent to: Nearly 2.76 crore bottles (750 ml)
Average daily consumption: About 38,000 bottles
Number of liquor vends: 97
Break-up of annual quota
Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL): 1,17,40,741 PL (about 81%)
Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.
Professional Background
Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance.
Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows.
Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends:
1. Investigative & Financial Reporting
"Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.
"Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control.
"Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.
2. Governance & Constitutional Status
"What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance.
"MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure.
"No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term.
3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment
"Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts.
"UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network.
"Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump.
4. Lifestyle & Local Trends
"Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year.
"After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.
Signature Beat
Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.
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