Food delivery unicorns Swiggy and Zomato have enabled online processing and home delivery of alcohol in non-metros, in an attempt to diversify when their core business has been hit due to the covid-19 lockdown. Extending this service to large metros may take a while, though.

Swiggy’s alcohol delivery service went live in Ranchi on Thursday, after the company obtained necessary approvals from the Jharkhand government. The service can be availed by users under the ‘Wine Shops’ category on the Swiggy app. Zomato confirmed that it is looking to make this service live in major cities of Jharkhand by Friday. The Gurugram-based food delivery firm said it has received the necessary approvals.

Two employees from Zomato and Swiggy, who didn’t want to be quoted, confirmed that both companies have also sent proposals to governments and authorities responsible for major metros, seeking to start home delivery of alcohol for its users. These approvals may take a couple of weeks to a month to come through. Swiggy was looking to expand this service to certain cities in Odisha, but with Cyclone Amphan wrecking havoc in the state, it has decided to halt expansion there as of now, said a person aware of the discussions.

Read EquityPandit’s  Nifty Outlook for the Week 

Customers can verify their age by uploading a picture of a valid government ID, followed by a selfie which the platform will use for authentication using an AI-powered system. All orders will carry a unique OTP which needs to be provided by the customer at the time of delivery. There is also a cap on the order quantity. Swiggy, in a statement, said it was partnering authorized retailers after validating their license and other required documents as outlined by the respective state governments. Delivery partners and retailers have been virtually trained to facilitate smooth processing and fulfillment of orders.