A Temporary Ramp Was Created For Disabled Individuals At Chennai's Marina Beach
Photo Courtesy: India Today
People with disabilities were able to get a closer look at the sea from Tuesday, after the Chennai municipal council, with the support of disability rights activists, built a temporary ramp from the main road to the Marina beach's coastline, enabling it handicapped friendly. From December 27 to January 2, a section of the beach behind the Gandhi Statue was made temporarily available to people with impairments.
Every December, to commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which falls on December 3rd, a temporary pathway is built. This was postponed last year owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, and it was delayed this year due to excessive rains in November. Officials from the city are attempting to make this a permanent facility by employing materials that meet CRZ standards.
Since 2019, the city corporation has donated four beach wheelchairs, and the Tamil Nadu tourism agency has lent its floating wheelchair from the blue flag-certified Kovalam beach to lead people with impairments to float in the water.
Representatives want to know whether there are any wheelchairs available to be placed on the beach for the benefit of beachgoers. They want to start building on a permanent route proposed behind Gandhi's statue as soon as possible.
From 2016, DRA in Tamil Nadu has collaborated with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to establish a proper walkway for two beaches: Marina, the world's second-longest beach, and Elliot's beach.
A GCC official stated that temporary wood walk has been created for 200 metres from the point of road access up to the beach. They're looking into what materials we can utilise to make this a permanent construction that won't harm the beach's ecology.
According to a statement from the GCC, the temporary arrangement has been expanded by the minister for municipal administration, K N Nehru, depending on a request from the community, from January 3 to 16. On Tuesday, Nehru was joined by a number of other ministers, MPs, and MLAs in inaugurating the beach access.