Greater Chennai Corporation to construct removable sea view point for disabled persons at Marina

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation will construct a removable sea view point, for the disabled persons in the Marina Beach, which can be retracted by 20 metres from the sea's high tide line. This comes after the Cyclone Mandous damaged the ramp built for the disabled persons.
Chief engineer of Chennai Corporation S Rajendiran said the they have removed the wooden-planks damaged by the sea and it would be kept in a closed truck nearby.
"We have removed upto 20-metres. Since disabled persons wanted to have a sea view, we will set up a temporary view point again by January. It will again be removed next year before heavy rains or cyclones to prevent any damage," he said.
The corporation said this is the only practical solution they can do to ensure a long-life for the ramp. Built at a cost of 1.15 crores, the 263-metres long ramp starts at Vivekhanda House part of the beach and ends at the shore. It is made of wood and attached to the beach mud using bolts.
The heavy waves had dismantled the base of the view-point which was hardly 10-metres away from the sea. City corporation commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said they could not build any permanent structure in the sea-view point as it is against the coastal zone regulation norms.
"We want to ensure longitivtiy of the ramp as well as ensure equal access to all in the beach. The temporary set up should work well," he said.
The corporation has got the contractor to fix the ramp from his contractor liability funds.