Chennai’s three beaches — Thiruvanmiyur, Palavakkam and Uthandi — are expected to be developed under the Blue Flag certification programme. Further, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is set to begin work on the second phase of the Marina Beach Blue Flag project — from the Mahatma Gandhi Statue to Nochi Nagar, opposite the Karaneeswarar Koil Street.
After the inauguration of the Blue Flag project at Marina Beach by the Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday, Mayor R. Priya said a total of 30 acres along Loop Road had been planned for the next stage. She further said the Detailed Project Report was being prepared for these sites, and the tender would be finalised soon.
The works, estimated to cost over ₹6 crore for each beach, will be funded under the Tamil Nadu: Strengthening Coastal Resilience and the Economy Project, supported by the World Bank.
The plan includes new toilets and changing rooms, wheelchair-accessible paths, solar lighting, waste bins, lifeguard stations and grey water treatment systems. Seating areas and Blue Flag programme-compliant signboards will also be installed. Dedicated access for persons with disabilities will be created, according to the GCC.
“A total ₹6.02 crore has been allocated for each beach. The works will take seven months to complete, and the beaches will then be maintained for another year under the same contract by the private party engaged,” an official said.
There was no mention of shops in the proposals for any of the four Blue Flag projects. To this, the Mayor said the decision to remove shops in the first phase at Marina Beach received good response from the public. “This is also crucial to keep the beach clean — a critical criterion for Blue Flag certification. A complex can be set up for authorised vendors, and illegal shopkeepers will be evicted as per GCC regulations,” she said.
Published – August 07, 2025 01:02 am IST
