KANAKAMMACHATRAM: Kanakammachatram, a quaint little town on the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border, has become a preferred destination for lovers of spirit in this region with its wide range of choice, cheaper prices and trendy bars.
This sleepy town is situated about 75 km north of Chennai on the Tirupati highway. The Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border runs through the heart of the town, ensuring, perhaps, that the residents get the best of both worlds.
The Andhra side of Bazaar Road in the town is distinctive by its brightly-painted retail liquor outlets with images of glamorous actresses on the name boards. There is a TASMAC bar too in the vicinity — but interestingly, consumers on the Tamil Nadu side and occasional travellers from Chennai prefer the Andhra outlets.
Why? Because the liquor shops on the Andhra side offer a wide range of brands to choose. Be it the premium Scotch Black Dog or Fuel vodka, it’s all available in these outlets.
For those who prefer to have one for the road, swanky bar options are also available with an array of accompaniments to choose from. What’s more, a discount of 5 to 25 per cent is given depending on the brand and sale value.
Booze lovers on the Tamil Nadu side of Bazaar Road just walk 10 feet, cross the road over to the Andhra Pradesh side for their dose of drink. K Sathya of Tiruvallur says: “The trouble in Tamil Nadu is that often you do not get the brands you want. Some brands are not sold and others go out of stock. Also, you pay more than the MRP and TASMAC bars are nauseating.”