As vendors on the Marina beach have failed to remove the unauthorised structures by the deadline of Thursday, announced by the Chennai Corporation, the civic body is planning to take legal action. Corporation officials are likely to remove the illegal structures with police support shortly.
The Corporation made a public announcement last week asking the vendors to remove all the illegal structures by Thursday, in order to facilitate the restoration of the beach. But the vendors have not removed the shops so far, according to civic body officials.
Mayor Saidai S.Duraisamy told the Chennai Corporation Council a few weeks ago that the civic body would soon beautify the Beach. He said the civic body would regulate the vendors based on the results of a study conducted on the beach. There are 1,212 vendors and the civic body has identified some who own several shops. Most shops continue to remain on the sands even after they finish business in the evening.
“We have been doing business for over 35 years. The announcement of the Chennai Corporation does not affect us,” said Tiruvenkadam, an office bearer of the Anna MGR Sathukam Manal Parappu Sirukadai Vyabarigal Sangam. Over 500 shops are part of the union.
However, officials of the Corporation said that all the shops were illegal and would have to be removed to be replaced with mobile units. The beautification was necessary as the beach was in a bad condition and was being misused by vendors, officials said.
The new arrangement of shops in the 3.1-km-long beach, from Triumph of Labour Statue to Light House, will be made aesthetically appealing after regulation.
Keywords: Marina beach, Chennai Corporation
encrocher to be dealt with with iron hand. they have become menace. your right to property is called into question. useless govt turn a blind eye to this for the fear loosing vote, no justice.
The corporation should take similar steps in cleaning the santhome beach . It is very difficult to go to the Beach. Hope the Government will do it is best.
“We have been doing business for over 35 years. The announcement of the Chennai Corporation does not affect us,”
This quote aptly describes the contempt of law exhibited by citizenry enjoying the support of the major political parties. India is decades away from being a civilized society.
No shops should be permitted on the sands of the beach fixed or
mobile. The beach belongs to the public. No one can claim that since
they have been doing 'business' illegally for decades they have a
right to continue to do so. Mobile shops with proper permits can be
allowed on the promenade road of the Marina beach with explicit
conditions that they do not interfere with the public's enjoyment of
the beach. And this rule must be applied to all the beaches that are
part of the city and suburbs. It is appalling to see that the main
southern part of Elliots beach is being misused by these illegal structure's and ruins the beach and is a eye sore and ruins the
public's enjoyment of the beach.
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