Tamil Nadu makes Aadhaar card mandatory at salons and beauty parlours

Aadhaar card is now necessary to visit beauty parlours, salons, and spas in Tamil Nadu. And the aforementioned establishments have been asked to write down the details of those visiting them for services including their Aadhaar and phone numbers.

Government sources said collecting the phone numbers and Aadhaar card details of those visiting salons, parlours and spas would come in handy for authorities if the need for contact tracing arose in the future. The instructions asking shop owners to maintain a register of those visiting is part of the measures taken to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the state.

Follow live updates on coronavirus here

While barber shops in rural areas opened over a week ago, beauty parlours and spas in urban areas reopened after two months on Monday. It is believed that the government is unwilling to take any chances as it had a tough time in tracing the contacts of hairstylists in Chennai who tested positive for coronavirus in March and April this year.

"The salons, beauty parlours, and spas should maintain a register for noting down the name, address, mobile number and Aadhaar card details of the customers," the circular issued by Commissioner of Revenue Administration J Radhakrishnan said.

The circular also said only 50 percent of the seats should be occupied by customers, while salons, beauty parlours, and spas should adopt 'service by appointment' method to avoid crowding. It also asked the owners to ensure that a blade used for a customer should not be reused for another while mandating the use of disposable towels.

It also asked the workers to clean their hands using sanitizer before and after completing their work. “They should wear masks and gloves. The owners and workers of the salons, beauty parlours, and spas should avoid touching their nose, mouth, and eyes often,” the circular said.