Visitors to Chennai's iconic Marina Beach are facing a severe parking crisis, especially on weekends, due to a lack of clearly designated parking lots and ongoing metro rail construction work. The situation has led to traffic snarls and frustration among beachgoers.
Metro Work Shifts Crowd, Parking Spirals Out of Control
The ongoing metro rail work near the Light House has pushed most commercial activity and visitor footfall towards the Anna Swimming Pool area. As this zone is close to the Blue Flag certified beach section and the swimming pool, it has become a major gathering point. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is currently ill-equipped to handle the rush.
Previously, a private contractor, Toorq Media Service, managed about 150 parking slots on the beachside, ensuring vehicles were parked diagonally to optimize space. However, the current scenario is one of complete disorder. Vehicles are now parked perpendicularly across all three lanes of the service road, occupying significantly more space. Against a designated capacity of 150 cars, evenings see nearly 500 cars, creating chaos. Dozens of tourist buses further compound the problem by parking in front of cars.
Service Lanes Jammed, Exit Takes 40 Minutes
A manager from the Blue Flag Beach facility highlighted the operational nightmare. "The carriageway is two-lane. As vehicles are parked on both sides, the entire road gets jammed," the manager said. This leads to vehicles piling up on Kamarajar Salai near the Anna Memorial as drivers wait to turn left into the congested service lane.
The problem is exacerbated by roadside hawkers and vehicles encroaching upon both sides of the service lane starting from Anna Swimming Pool. Commuter J Shanthakumar revealed the personal cost of this chaos, stating it takes about 40 minutes to exit the beach during weekends. He pointed out a critical safety issue: "There's no record or contact of those parking in the second and third lanes. So, removing a wrongly parked vehicle is hard. They must appoint marshals and collect car keys."
GCC's High-Tech Solution: AI Cameras and Digital Systems
In response to the growing crisis, GCC Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran has announced a forthcoming high-tech solution. He stated that tenders for a new parking management system will be floated by next week.
The proposed system is designed to bring order through technology. It will feature automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, FASTag readers, smart ticketing and billing systems, QR code-based and other digital payment options, PoS machines, and automated access control mechanisms.
"Vehicle access to the beach will be regulated through six access control units," Kumaragurubaran explained. He added a significant tech upgrade: "In addition, AI-enabled cameras will be installed across the parking zone to monitor real-time parking occupancy and availability using edge analytics." This move aims to transform the chaotic parking experience into a streamlined, digitally managed process for the millions who visit Marina Beach.
