Residents give nod for beach beautification project.

A sculpture art gallery, 4.1-km jogging track, cricket pitch, football ground and volleyball court will be included in the design for a beach beautification project in Kottivakkam, Palavakkam and Neelankarai.

At a public hearing organised in the city recently, residents of the localities gave their nod for the Rs. 55-crore project to be implemented according to the provisions of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) II norms.

They also stressed the need for ensuring safety of visitors to the beach and raised the issue of bike racing on some stretches.

'We have estimated that there are 1,400 visitors to the Neelankarai beach during weekends. Over 600 visitors to Palavakkam and 700 to Kottivakkam have been recorded in the study,' said an official of the Chennai Corporation.

The proposal also includes parks for children, first-aid booths, a watch tower, streetlights and emergency telephones. All this would be executed without disturbing the local vegetation, official sources said.

As part of the beach beautification project announced in the 2013-2014 budget, beaches in the recently developed areas such as Kottivakkam, Palavakkam and Neelankarai on East Coast Road were expected to get more parking lots, play areas and walkways.

However, some residents have objected to the creation of parking lots and new structures by laying new roads on the beach.

'The sandy portion of the beach should not be touched. They can start beautifying by undoing the damage already done. The Chennai Corporation has constructed a road by dumping construction debris on the Neelankarai beach. It is illegal to alter the beach sands,' said Nityanand Jayaraman, an activist.

HBL