CHENNAI: The
Marina beach
is technically out of bounds for visitors, but crowds are thronging the sands along Loop Road, without following Covid-appropriate behaviour. In search of business, stalls too have shifted to the area behind Light house and no norm seem to be observed. The situation prevails throughout the week.
Adding to the chaos are roadside eateries encroaching upon pavements along Loop Road. Visitors can easily enter the Foreshore Estate side of the beach from Santhome High Road. “The government can as well open the beaches as the restrictions make no sense. Those who come to the eateries along Loop Road throng the beach as do those who come to shop for fish,” said N Murugan of
Mylapore
.
With only walkers allowed on the
Marina in the mornings, the footpath along Loop Road could have come in handy and regular beach goers want the authorities to address these concerns. “Footpaths should be for pedestrians. Thousands of people gather at the Marina beach for their morning and evening walks and when physical distancing is required, authorities should not allow such rampant encroachments,” said A Gnanaprakash, a regular to the Marina beach.
The overall Marina beach regulation scheme itself has gone awry after the Madras high court stopped monitoring it on a day-to-day basis. Greater Chennai Corporation, burdened with pandemic management, has also become slack, allowing encroachers an extended time on the beach and along Loop Road.
Fishermen who have set up shops along the sands say they do not encroach upon the road and want government to build stalls along the road rather than a separate market. They say they are different from the vendors on the beach as they can do business only near the shore.
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