Swiggy, a leading on-demand delivery platform, started delivering alcohol at home from Thursday.

The service went live in Ranchi on Thursday after obtaining necessary approvals from the state government. Its launch in other major cities of Jharkhand such as Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Bokaro is expected within a week.

For now, customers in Ranchi can access the Wine Shops category on their Swiggy app.

For safe alcohol delivery in compliance with existing laws, Swiggy has introduced features such as mandatory age verification and user authentication.

Customers can verify their age instantly by uploading a picture of their valid ID card followed by a selfie which the platform will use for authentication.

The customer will then get a unique OTP that he or she needs to give the Swiggy employee at the time of delivery.

There is also a cap on orders to ensure a customer does not order alcohol beyond prescribed limits.

Speaking on the launch, Anuj Rathi, vice-president (products), Swiggy, told The Telegraph that Swiggy has been “relentlessly working since the start of the (novel coronavirus pandemic) to solve customer pain points and support local governments in every way possible”.

“We’ve leveraged our existing technology and infrastructure to enable hyperlocal deliveries, we have been working closely with local authorities to expand grocery delivery and Covid-19 relief efforts. By enabling home delivery of alcohol in a safe and responsible manner, we can generate extra business for retail outlets while promoting social distancing.”

Swiggy has partnered with authorised alcohol retailers after checking their licences and other documents outlined by respective state governments.

Delivery partners and retailers have been virtually trained to facilitate smooth processing and order delivery, Rathi said.

“Also, Swiggy is constantly educating its delivery partners on the World Health Organisation’s hygiene best practices and giving them masks and sanitisers. Recently, the company launched a new ‘safety gear audit’ feature that checks for mask usage,” he added.

Founded in 2014, Swiggy connects consumers to over 1.60 lakh restaurant partners and stores in over 500 cities.