A little over 95k applications were received by the Telangana Excise department as it gears up for the draw of lots for allotting 2620 liquor shops across the state. The three day extension was met with lukewarm response as it fetched just over 6k new applications, highlighting challenges amid disruptions. Despite the hurdles, the department is all set for a high-stakes draw on October 27, where fortunes will flip for thousands vying for a slice of the lucrative liquor trade.

The  excise department got richer by Rs 2854 crore through the sale of applicants, each costing a non-refundable Rs 3 lakh each. The previous liquor shops allotment process in 2023 fetched the department Rs 2640 crore as non-refundable fee through sale of applications. If both figures are compared, the department got an excess of Rs 200 crore this time compared to the 2023 figure. However the initial target was sale of 1 lakh applications that would fetch the department Rs 3000 crore as non-refundable fees, but it fell little short of the desired mark.

In a bustling scramble for 2,620 liquor outlets, a total of 95,137 applications poured in, painting a picture of fierce competition in some pockets and tepid interest in others. The deadline, originally tight, was extended to October 23 due to the OBC bandh, halted public transport buses, and sporadic bank closures that threw a wrench in submissions. Yet, the final push proved underwhelming: on the last day alone—Thursday, October 23—4,822 applications trickled in until nightfall, underscoring the extension's modest impact.

The numbers tell a tale of regional disparities. Ranga Reddy division led the pack with a whopping 29,420 applications, a hotspot of ambition fueled by urban demand. In stark contrast, Adilabad division lagged with just 4,154, reflecting rural hesitance or logistical woes. Breaking it down district-wise, the excise jurisdictions revealed sharp contrasts: Adilabad clocked 771, Komaram Bheem Asifabad 680, Mancherial 1,712, Nirmal 991, Hyderabad 3,201, Secunderabad 3,022, Jagtial 1,966, Karimnagar 2,730, Peddapalli 1,507, Rajanna Sircilla 1,381, Khammam 4,430, Kothagudem 3,922, Jogulamba Gadwal 774, Mahabubnagar 2,487, Nagarkurnool 1,518, Wanaparthy 757, Medak 1,420, Sangareddy 4,432, Siddipet 2,782, Nalgonda 4,906, Suryapet 2,771, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri 2,776, Kamareddy 1,502, Nizamabad 2,786, Malkajgiri 5,168, Medchal 6,063, Saroornagar 7,845, Shamshabad 8,536, Vikarabad 1,808, Jangaon 1,697, Jayashankar Bhupalpally 1,863, Mahabubabad 1,800, Warangal Rural 1,958, and Warangal Urban 3,175.

Come October 27, the drama unfolds. At 11 AM, district collectors will oversee the draw in the presence of applicants, excise superintendents, and officials— a transparent lottery that could make or break dreams. Winners will secure licenses, while the rest lick their wounds in a market where liquor flows like gold. As Telangana's excise landscape evolves, this shortfall raises eyebrows: is it caution amid economic jitters, or a sign of shifting tides in the spirits business?