Chennai’s iconic Marina Beach turns accessible for two days

Accessibility

On the occasion of World Disability Day, the famous Marina beach in Chennai has been made accessible for visitors with disabilities.

This year too, the Greater Chennai Corporation and Greater Chennai Police have transformed the beach into a place everyone can enjoy, even if its just for two days.

Children and adults with disabilities, people with mobility issues, the elderly and pregnant women, who find the area inaccessible can go thanks to eco-friendly pathways have been laid across the beach.

The pathways are for two days and many people have flocked here to enjoy the experience of the fresh air and sand. There are ramps that take you up into the water so you can feel the waves.

“To be able to visit the beach is a memorable experience. But it would be even better if this was possible all the year around and not just on two days.” Says Ummull Khair, works in a law firm

Students of the Vidya Sagar School, which has led the initiative have been visiting in batches

Our children are very happy but this happiness is momentarily as the ramps are only there for two days in the whole year. We have been raising our voice for permanent ramps and the authorities have not done anything about that so far. This year we have been assured that 2019 will change the situation and the beach will be made permanently accessible. Kalpana Rao, Principal, Vidya Sagar School

We hope that the authorities will keep up their promise and make the beach accessible permanently for people with disabilities. It just does not seem fair that children with disabilities have to wait the whole year for these two days when they can visit the beach.

Sathish Kumar, a bank employee shared his experience on Facebook and wrote
“We have no words to describe the happiness on all faces who enjoyed today at #Marina #Beach which was made temporarily #Accessible. This happiness would remain forever, once marina beach is being made accessible permanently. Which we hope to happen early next year. We thank very much to the Chennai Corporation, Police dept and NTT DATA volunteers who were on the whole day with us.”