Southern Railway seeks relocation of 43 TASMAC outlets near Chennai stations
Synopsis
Southern Railway has been pushing since September 2024 to shift 43 TASMAC outlets away from Chennai-area stations and tracks — and the response has been silence. With trespassing deaths, copper wire theft, and women avoiding subways at night on the charge sheet, the standoff now sits with Tamil Nadu's chief secretary. Complicating matters: there is no law in India governing how close a liquor shop can be to a railway track, and over 17,000 such outlets exist near tracks nationwide.
Key Takeaways
Southern Railway has formally sought the relocation of 43 TASMAC liquor outlets near stations and tracks in Chennai and five neighbouring districts.
The railway first wrote to TASMAC in September 2024 , followed up in May 2025 , and escalated to Tamil Nadu's chief secretary in July 2025 after receiving no response.
Concerns include trespassing deaths, track crossings, harassment of women passengers, theft, and tampering with copper signal wires .
The TVK government recently closed 717 TASMAC outlets within 500 metres of schools, temples, and bus stands, but no equivalent rule covers railway proximity.
TASMAC officials note that relocation is difficult due to community objections and a lack of suitable alternative sites; at least seven outlets near railway facilities have been closed or moved recently.
More than 17,000 liquor outlets are reportedly situated near railway tracks across India, with no national regulatory framework in place.
Southern Railway has formally urged the Tamil Nadu government to relocate 43 TASMAC liquor outlets situated near railway stations and tracks across Chennai and five neighbouring districts, citing trespassing deaths, accidents, and persistent passenger complaints. The move follows a series of unanswered communications stretching back to September 2024, escalating to a direct appeal to the state's chief secretary in July 2025.
Outlets Identified Across Six Districts
The 43 flagged outlets are spread across Chennai, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Tirupattur, Ranipet, and Kanchipuram districts. Specific locations flagged by railway officials include Royapuram, Korukkupet, Perambur, Jolarpet, Villivakkam, Avadi, Ennore, Thiruvalangadu, and Nandiambakkam.
The Chennai railway division first wrote to the state-run liquor retailer in September 2024 and followed up in May 2025. Receiving no response, the division escalated the matter to the chief secretary in July 2025, according to railway sources.
Safety and Nuisance Concerns on the Ground
Railway officials have documented a range of hazards linked to the proximity of these outlets. People drinking near the shops reportedly enter railway property, cross tracks at vulnerable points, travel dangerously on trains, or sleep on platforms and inside coaches. Officials have also flagged harassment of women passengers, disturbances to railway staff, littering, theft, and tampering with railway assets — including copper signal wires.
Commuter representatives have specifically raised concerns near stations at Ambattur, Tiruvallur, Avadi, and Tambaram Sanatorium. At Ambattur, some customers allegedly carry liquor onto suburban trains and occupy coach floors. The subway at Tiruvallur has reportedly become a drinking spot, leaving women reluctant to use it after dark. In Avadi, groups gathering near an outlet on Station Road are said to obstruct access to the station, a hospital, and a temple.
TASMAC Cites Relocation Challenges
TASMAC officials, however, have indicated that finding suitable replacement premises is difficult. The corporation has reportedly considered shifting more than 100 outlets across Tamil Nadu, but several proposed sites have faced residents' objections or proved otherwise unsuitable. At least seven shops near railway facilities have been closed or relocated in recent months.
Notably, the TVK government recently shut down 717 TASMAC outlets within 500 metres of educational institutions, places of worship, and bus stands — but no equivalent rule currently governs proximity to railway tracks. A TASMAC official confirmed there is no specific regulation on the distance between liquor shops and railway infrastructure.
A Nationwide Gap in Regulation
The absence of a dedicated rule is not exclusive to Tamil Nadu. According to the same official, more than 17,000 liquor outlets are situated near railway tracks across the country, and several states are reportedly considering guidelines to address the issue. An official of a TASMAC workers' association has suggested that the Railway Board seek court directions to establish suitable norms.
Southern Railway maintains that relocating the outlets is essential to reduce risks along busy passenger corridors. With the matter now before the chief secretary and a national regulatory gap in focus, the pressure on both the state government and the Railway Board to act is likely to intensify.
Point of View
Unanswered letters to TASMAC — stretching across three escalation levels over nearly a year — expose a structural failure of inter-agency accountability in Tamil Nadu. The TVK government acted decisively on outlets near schools and temples under political pressure, yet the same urgency has not extended to a safety hazard directly documented in trespassing deaths and signal wire theft. The national dimension is more troubling: with over 17,000 liquor outlets near tracks and no statutory minimum-distance rule, this is a systemic railway safety gap dressed up as a local complaint. Until either the Railway Board secures a court-mandated norm or states act proactively, individual divisions will keep writing letters that go unanswered.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Southern Railway asking for TASMAC outlets to be shifted?
Southern Railway wants 43 TASMAC liquor outlets relocated because their proximity to stations and tracks has been linked to trespassing deaths, track crossings, theft of copper signal wires, and harassment of women passengers. The railway has documented repeated safety and nuisance incidents across the flagged locations.
Which areas are affected by the 43 flagged TASMAC outlets?
The outlets are spread across Chennai, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Tirupattur, Ranipet, and Kanchipuram districts. Specific hotspots cited include Royapuram, Korukkupet, Perambur, Avadi, Villivakkam, Jolarpet, Ennore, Thiruvalangadu, and Nandiambakkam.
Has TASMAC responded to the railway's request?
TASMAC has not formally complied with the request. The railway wrote to TASMAC in September 2024 and again in May 2025 without receiving a response, prompting escalation to Tamil Nadu's chief secretary in July 2025. TASMAC officials have cited difficulty in finding suitable alternative premises.
Is there a law governing how close liquor shops can be to railway tracks?
No specific rule currently governs the minimum distance between liquor outlets and railway tracks in India. A TASMAC official confirmed this regulatory gap, and noted that over 17,000 outlets are situated near tracks nationwide, with several states reportedly considering guidelines.
What action has Tamil Nadu already taken on TASMAC outlets near sensitive areas?
The TVK government recently closed 717 TASMAC outlets situated within 500 metres of educational institutions, places of worship, and bus stands. However, no equivalent order has been issued covering proximity to railway stations or tracks.
