Tiruchi is often called as an entertainment starved city thanks to the absence of viable entertainment and leisure activities. However, the residents of the city may once again enjoy their leisure time in the evenings on the Cauvery river bed as the Tiruchi City Corporation (TCC) is contemplating the idea of reviving summer beach this year.
Christened as ‘summer beach’, the district administration with the active participation of Tiruchi Corporation was opened to the public for the first time in 2012. As part of the idea, a stretch of about a kilometre of the river bed on the Cauvery river at Mambazha Salai was cleaned and illuminated with lights in order to give a beach like environment to the people enjoy an outing in the evening.
The idea had become an instant hit with thousands of city residents visiting the ‘beach site’ with children and friends in the evenings. The people, who yearned for leisure spots, visited in large numbers to enjoy cool breeze in the evenings and to watch the cultural programmes arranged by the district administration.
Utilising the opportunity, a number of hawkers had also cashed in by setting up of movable eateries. Motivated by the success, the authorities also opened up summer beach in 2013 and 2014. However, summer beach did not become a reality in 2015 and 2016, causing disappointment to the people.
A senior official of Tiruchi Corporation told The Hindu that it had received a number of representations for setting up of summer beach this year. It was not opened in 2016 due to seepage of water at the ‘beach site’. Idea had been mooted to revive the summer beach plan this year. A decision would be taken soon with the consultation of sister departments. the official added.
