Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday inaugurated the newly upgraded Blue Flag-certified Marina Beach, located behind the Marina swimming pool. The ₹7.31 crore project was developed under the Tamil Nadu Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resources and Blue Economy (TN-SHORE) initiative and aims to promote sustainable tourism, coastal resilience, and accessibility.During the inauguration, Udhayanidhi Stalin visited the specially designed play area for children with disabilities and interacted with them, highlighting the project’s inclusive features.
The revamped beach covers over 20 acres and offers several modern amenities including:
20 bamboo shade huts, 40 recliner chairs,
12 regular chairs, 4 watchtowers, 24 dustbins, A 30×30 meditation centre, A 16×16 reading space, Two selfie spots, Five unique pear-shaped chairs
To ensure accessibility, the beach now features 12 wheelchairs for differently-abled visitors, four dedicated play zones for children, and specialized equipment for disabled children.
Infrastructure upgrades include:
10 coconut trees, Nursing rooms, CCTV surveillance, First aid and living rooms,
2 men’s bathrooms with 7 toilets, 1 women’s bathroom with 4 toilets, 1 toilet for the differently-abled, Clean drinking water via a water ATM.
The project, completed in just seven months, will have a one-year initial maintenance period by a contractor, followed by continued upkeep by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) for five years.
GCC Commissioner J Kumara Gurubaran also revealed plans to develop another Blue Flag beach on 25 acres opposite Vivekananda House, with work expected to begin soon.
Inspired by the success of the Blue Flag beach in Kovalam, the Tamil Nadu government is now extending similar initiatives to beaches in Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram, and Thoothukudi.
The Marina Blue Flag beach project stands as a model for sustainable, accessible, and inclusive beach development in India.