Chennai
Apart from mandating trade licences, the civic body has also laid conditions on regulating them, including installing CCTV cameras, checking basic educational qualification of the employees and time of functioning of these establishments.
“The move comes following a HC direction in 2014 asking the government to bring massage centres and beauty parlours under legislation. A few months ago, TN had amended the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act to bring these places under our purview,” a Chennai Corporation official said.
The official added that the civic body has been issuing trade licences to such parlours considering them as hair cutting salons, as there was no separate provision.
Chennai Corporation passed a resolution on February 25 to issue trade licences and fix parlour fee. “Hair cutting salons, beauty parlours, spa or massage centres with or without partition or room or sauna or bathing facilities cannot operate sans trade licences from April 1,” the official explained.
To prevent misconduct, the Corporation has also included provisions for prior police verification to issue licences. “The massage services should not be provided behind locked doors and external doors have to be kept open during working hours. Sexual activities should not be allowed.”
The civic body has also fixed charges for availing of trade licences. For non-air-conditioned hair cutting salon or beauty parlour without partition or room, the fee is Rs 200, whereas Rs 500 would be collected for air-conditioned facilities. For beauty parlours, spa or massage parlour with partition or room or sauna or bathing facilities, Rs 2,500 would be collected up to 500 sqft, Rs 5,000 for 501 sqft to 1,000 sqft and Rs 7,500 for above 1,000 sqft.
“We do not have details pertaining to the number of such facilities in the city as of now. However, we have issued over 60,000 trade licences, which includ hotels, shops and others,” the official said.
Rules, Regulations
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