Chennai: The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) has resumed the closure of liquor outlets after a week-long pause, but the selection of shops being shut has shifted from the original list. As of Thursday, 616 outlets have been shuttered, though some of those closed do not match the list initially drawn up by district managers. Instead, officials have targeted outlets without attached bars and those in clusters with the lowest sales, a shift previously reported by the Times of India.
Background of the Closure Plan
On May 11, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay promised to shut 717 liquor shops located near schools and places of worship. The initiative began swiftly, with approximately 460 shops closed before it halted. Bar owners had lobbied that shutting attached-bar outlets would eliminate jobs for workers dependent on them. On Monday, at a thanksgiving rally in Trichy, Vijay declared the promise was fulfilled, though the numbers and methodology had quietly changed.
Revised Closure Strategy
By Tuesday, Tasmac management was under pressure. The corporation sought district-wise sales figures and directed managers to prioritize closing low-revenue outlets. Officials stated that the remaining closures would be completed before Friday. Shops within 500 meters of prohibited zones, an official said, would be relocated within the same area instead of facing outright closure.
Impact on Attached Bars and Staff
With licenses for existing Tasmac-attached bars set to expire this month, the corporation is also preparing to revise tender conditions to reflect the new rules. In a separate enforcement action, Tasmac has suspended 277 supervisors and salesmen across the state for selling liquor above the maximum retail price. Chennai accounted for the most suspensions with 117, followed by Trichy with 49, Coimbatore with 39, Madurai with 38, and Salem with 34. Suspended staff must pay a penalty and submit a written undertaking against future violations before they can be redeployed at another outlet.
