CHENNAI: Stating that the court’s endeavour is to regain the lost glory of the Marina Beach, where the serenity of natural beauty has been “obliterated by a large number of shops”, the Madras High Court on Thursday told the Greater Chennai Corporation that only 300 shops could be permitted to run on the beach from the 1,417 that have now been enumerated by the civic body.
A special bench of justices R Suresh Kumar and A D Jagadish Chandira said, “We deem it fit to reduce the number of shops to 300 for the purpose of selling eatables, fancy items and toys on the beach.”
It said the reduced number of shops accounting for 1,006, as suggested in the redrafted sketch produced by the GCC against the current figures of 1,417 shops, cannot be accepted. Yet, the bench said GCC can make some changes on the count of shops to be permitted.
The bench also said it would appoint retired judges of the HC for overseeing the process of allotting these 300 shops.
Expressing concern over the mushrooming of shops on the beach and obliteration of its natural beauty, the bench asked the state counsel, “Please show one beach, anywhere in the country, having these many shops.”
Stating that a picture published in a newspaper showed the Kovalam beach, located near Thiruvananthapuram, free of shops and other temporary structures, the bench said, “We are trying to change the face of the Marina Beach and restore its lost glory.”