Chandigarh, April 22 -- The Chandigarh administration's plan to re-auction 48 liquor vends after cancelling their allotments fizzled out without much success, as only 20 found takers.

The auction was necessitated after the UT excise and taxation department cancelled the licences of 48 liquor vends earlier this month over non-submission of mandatory bank guarantees worth Rs.40 crore.

Thereon, the winning bid quoted by the ousted successful allottees was set as the reserve price for the fresh round of auction.

However, the move boomeranged for the department, as only 20 of the 48 liquor vends up for grabs received bids.

Against a reserve price of Rs.109 crore for these vends, the department raked in Rs.131 crore, a 19% growth in expecte...