A whooping 164 licence applications were received for 32 wine shops in Serilingampally mandal, an extended part of the city, including Gachibowli and Kondapur. This number is quite high compared to other mandals.
Serilingampally excise inspector Gandhi B. Naik said Lingampally, Kondapur and Gachibowli wards are categorised under Cluster-1 with 15 shops, while Madhapur, Hafeezpet, Miyapur, Chandanagar wards come under Cluster-2 with 17 shops.
The 164 applications were received between October 9 and 12; three more days are left to get more after which a lucky draw will be organised to award licence.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise C. Vivekananda Reddy said those new to liquor trade were applying for licence to operate wine shops in Hyderabad. There are 173 wine shops in Hyderabad division and 91 applications were received for 80 shops in Hyderabad limits.
