Chennai: The unconditional two-month extension of licences of Tasmac bars has raised eyebrows, for every bar violates every rule in the book, every day. It, nevertheless, ends uncertainty surrounding unlicensed bars. The associations had no doubt that the govt would extend the licence to run their dingy and stinking Tasmac bars, which are notorious for illegal cooking and selling of unhygienic eatables.The licence period of these bars originally ended on Dec 31, 2025, but DMK govt extended it for six months till June 30, 2026.The filth and stench in most of the Tasmac bars are unbearable. Some bar-owners say they are the poor man’s watering hole, but on the other hand they sell eatables at three times the MRP. Reason: Licence conditions do not expressly bar them from selling snacks and cigarettes above MRP.In Tamil Nadu, ordinary and medium range liquor account for nearly 80% of total sales (ordinary range 50% and medium range 30%), which roughly contributes to 75% of total revenue (Rs48,000 crore in 2025-26) to state govt through excise duty and sales tax. Bars attached to Tasmac are the only option available to tipplers, but they are perennially ignored. Of 4,048 liquor outlets across the state, 2,638 have a bar attached to them. Chennai region, including Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Tiruvallur districts, has about 500 bars.A city resident, Sudershan N, said Tasmac officials only need to visit shops 986 and 678 in Saidapet. “They look worse than an open toilet, but people drink there too. In another bar in Guindy, I almost injured myself with broken tables and chairs. But everything is overpriced irrespective of quality. And, if we choose to pay by UPI, another Rs25 is fleeced,” he said.A few bar owners claim that the Tasmac management issues bar licences to places that are unfit to run bars. “You need at least 2,500sqft space to run a bar, but many are too small. Tasmac management should cancel such licences as they pose a safety risk to visitors,” said a bar owner, who runs about five bars in Chennai region.He paid Rs20,000 to police every month for each bar just because licence conditions prohibit a kitchen in a Tasmac bar. “They visit the bars every month,” he said and justified overcharging as he has to bribe more Tasmac officers. “If Tasmac management becomes clean, everything else will fall in place,” he added. Tasmac bar owners’ association president Anbarasan said they have requested Tasmac management to relax the tender conditions enabling them to run a kitchen.Tasmac officials, when contacted, said they were planning a series of measures to change how Tasmac outlets and attached bars function. “We have extended the licence period to bring in those changes in the fresh tenders,” said a senior official.
