Chennai Corporation Cracks Down on Shops Without Tamil Signboards

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), in a renewed push to promote the use of Tamil in public spaces, has announced strict enforcement of the Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act, 1948. As per the Act, all shops and commercial establishments are required to display signboards in Tamil. Failure to comply will now attract a fine of ₹2,000 per shop.

This initiative is part of a broader, state-wide campaign to encourage the use of Tamil in visible public spaces. Officials have specified that the signboards must follow a font size ratio of 5:3:2 — with Tamil occupying the largest share, followed by English and any third language.

Committees have been formed across all districts in Tamil Nadu to oversee the implementation. These include district collectors, officials from the labour and municipal departments, Tamil development officers, and representatives from food and trade associations.

To build awareness among business owners, the Labour Department and GCC held a meeting on Friday, chaired by Labour Commissioner Mr. C.A. Raman. The session served as an orientation for trade license holders and vendors about the importance and legal necessity of incorporating Tamil in their signage.

M. Birathiviraj, Deputy Commissioner (Revenue and Finance), stated that the meeting also addressed concerns raised by traders, including a request for a grace period to comply. As a result, a three-month window has been granted to make the necessary changes. He confirmed that GCC would strictly enforce the rule once the deadline lapses.

Inspections will soon be carried out, and shops violating the signage regulation will receive a show cause notice. Business owners will have seven days to respond, failing which further action — including possible cancellation of their trade license under the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, 2023 — will be initiated.

Deputy Mayor Mr. M. Mahesh Kumar emphasized the importance of Tamil signage, noting that many in the Tamil-speaking community are not fluent in English. He highlighted GCC’s continued efforts over the years to encourage vendors to adopt Tamil in their public communication and stated that bilingual signage would benefit a larger section of the population.