Chennnai: Festival atmosphere prevailed in front of TASMAC liquor shops in Chennai today ahead of their roepening after four months.
Tipplers started standing in queues right from the morning with huge expectations, while police personnel were seen regulating the crowds. Pandals were erected, social distancing measures were in place and public address system was used to regulate customers.
TASMAC has deployed additional staff on a temporary basis to handle the situation. Barricades were erected before the outlets and circles drawn to ensure that six feet of distance is maintained between every two customers.
Customers will have to adhere to social distancing norms and wear a mask while making their purchases. The outlets will remain closed on Sundays.
The shops will be allowed to operate from 10 am to 7 pm from Monday to Saturday. Sales will be limited to 500 customers a day, with 500 tokens to be distributed everyday at each outlet.
Though liquor shops were allowed to open across the state from 7 May, the Tamilnadu government had barred shops in Chennai and other suburban areas falling under the jurisdiction of Greater Chennai Police, to remain closed due to surge in Covid-19 cases. On Sunday, it announced that the shops would reopened from today.