As Tamil Nadu is two days ahead to mark the deadline of the current phase of the lockdown, the state government is eyeing for pouring more relaxations in September and the tipplers across the state are reviving their hope to have a reunion at bars and clubs as the state government is expected to allow the resumption of such recreational clubs during the next phase of unlocking the lockdown. 

However, the tipplers won't be having what they had before imposing the lockdown as the government has been working out on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to be followed at such establishments across the state to ensure to mitigate the COVID-19 spread. According to the reports, the Tamil Nadu Excise Department has been mulling to reopen the bars in the state with the new set of guidelines. 

As per the new guidelines, people may go to the clubs and bars but they must adhere to the guidelines once they entered the bars. The new guidelines are in the form of restrictions, leaving the tipplers to brace up to say cheers amid the prohibitions. The reports say that as per the guidelines, the tipplers will not be able to tip glasses with friends at the counter and they won't be permitted to sample drinks at the counter. They would neither be allowed to dance nor would ask their favorite songs at the clubs. 

The tipplers have to place orders only at the table and each customer will be allowed to be in bars for 90 minutes and they should reserve the tables in advance. The tipplers would also be directed to provide their mobile numbers at the counters to trace them and according to the SOP, the doors of the bars will remain open and A/Cs won't be operated. The SOP will also reiterate to limit the number of people inside bars, clubs, and pubs by 50% of the capacity to maintain social distancing. 

Along with the tipplers, the workers attached to the pubs and clubs would also be brought under the ambit of the guidelines. The workers would be working for 15 days and will be under quarantine for the rest of 15 days and they would be tested for the viral infection before they report back to their duties. The state government is waiting for the Center's nod which the authorities say that the Center would be permitting to re-open the bars in the coming months. 

The reports stated that bars that are attached to the TASMAC liquor shops will also be pumped with similar SOP and the guidelines for the bars at the TASMAC shops would largely be focused on hygiene and lesser crowding with social distancing. 

Currently, the state government of Tamil Nadu had permitted the dine-in facilities in hotels and TASMAC shops to function, recreational clubs like bars and pubs have still under shut down since the last week of March when the state government imposed the first phase of the lockdown to contain the spread of the COVID-19 viral infection.