CHENNAI: Four years after the wooden ramp at Marina Beach near Vivekananda House was inaugurated for persons with disabilities (PwDs), the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has floated a Rs 4.39 crore tender to rebuild the 240 metre pathway and maintain it for five years.
According to a corporation official, the new ramp will have narrower gaps between wooden planks, additional seating and a stronger structure. “The materials will largely remain the same, but the revised design will include narrower gaps between the wooden planks, additional seating and improved structural strength,” the official told TNIE.
Built in 2022 under the Singara Chennai initiative at a cost of Rs 1.14 crore, the existing pathway has repeatedly suffered damages during the monsoon. The GCC recently dismantled the damaged section and attempted to replace it with rubber mats, but reversed the decision after disability rights activists raised concerns about accessibility and the lack of a permanent structure. The reconstruction work is estimated at Rs 2.17 crore, while another Rs 2.21 crore has been earmarked for operation and maintenance (O&M) over five years.
The tender specifies Brazilian IPE hardwood planks, each 19 mm thick, for the decking. Runners made of Red Meranti, Nellarai or Babool wood will support the planks. The tender also provides for 26 circular precast seats, 30 informational and directional signboards. The work is scheduled to be completed within 90 days.
The five-year maintenance contract lays down daily cleaning and inspection conditions. The contractor must collect litter, clear bins and clean the handrails, seating and signboards. The pathway must remain free of obstructions that could impede wheelchair users, and waste must be disposed of through the GCC-approved system without being swept or washed into the sea or beneath the deck.
The contractor must also provide trained personnel to assist wheelchair users, senior citizens and other visitors with their consent. Security staff will monitor the pathway, prevent vehicles from entering the wooden deck and maintain a register. Defects such as loose planks, damaged handrails and unsafe gaps must be reported.
Preventive maintenance must be carried out twice a year, with each cycle completed within 24 days. The pathway can reopen only after inspection and approval by a corporation official. GCC engineers will inspect the facility monthly, while the contractor must submit monthly reports and rectify identified defects within seven days.
