Chennai corporation wants Marina Beach reopened by first week of December

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation on Wednesday informed the Madras High Court that it has requested the state government to reopen the Marina Beach by December. The corporation also said that tenders have been floated to provide 900 modern pushcarts for vendors on the beach. The court directed the state authorities to file a comprehensive report on the relocation of fish markets and construction of an overbridge on the loop road.

The two-member bench comprising justices Vineet Kothari and MS Ramesh passed the directions after the Chennai corporation orally submitted that Anna University has been roped in to submit a detailed report on the creation of footpaths and foot over bridges on the loop road, which would take three weeks.

The judges observed, "Let's start the new year with the beautification of Marina Beach by expediting the work."

Responding to the observation, additional advocate general S R Rajagopal said that tenders have already been floated and two companies have already expressed their interest in providing 900
modern pushcarts to the vendors of Marina Beach.

However, the counsel for the vendors contended that the court has to direct the state to reopen Marina beach for the vendors who are deprived of their livelihood for the past nine months.

The Chennai Corporation in reply said reopening the beach for the public is a policy decision of the state and the COVID-19 lockdown has been extended till November 30.

"We have requested the government to consider reopening and the state will soon take a decision," he added.

Justice Vineet Kothari observed that the reopening of the beach, tenders for carts and the loop road work must be expedited with progress by the first week of December.

The bench then recorded the submissions made by all the parties, ordered for the interim stay on the pushcart tenders to be removed and directed the state to file a detailed report on the civil work to be carried out on the foot over bridge and footpaths on the loop road by December 3.