In a landmark ruling aimed at preserving the iconic Marina Beach's recreational character, the Madras High Court has directed the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to drastically reduce the number of shops lining the shoreline. The bench declared that the beach is not a "shopping mall or a shopping bazaar" and imposed a strict cap of 300 shops, down from over a thousand.
Court's Directives for a Cleaner, Clutter-Free Marina
The division bench of Justices R Suresh Kumar and A D Jagadish Chandira issued the order on January 8 while hearing a writ petition filed by a street vendor, S Devi, seeking shop allotment. The court observed that only three categories of items are permissible for sale: eatables, toys, and fancy goods or souvenirs, primarily catering to children and women who frequent the beach.
The court allocated 100 shops for each of the three permitted categories. However, it granted the GCC limited flexibility to redistribute numbers among these categories based on actual public demand. Critically, the bench mandated that no shops will be allowed outside these designated zones.
Transparent Allotment and Vision for 'Lost Glory'
With the number of shops being slashed from over 1,000 to just 300, the court ordered that the allotment must be conducted transparently through a draw of lots. This process will be supervised by a former judge of the high court to ensure fairness.
The court also laid out a vision for restoring the beach's "lost glory and fame." It suggested developing a large central stretch of over 100 acres between Bharat Scout Road and the Parthasarathy Temple area as a major 'Blue Flag' zone—an international recognition for clean and sustainable beaches. The bench emphasized that all proposed Blue Flag areas must remain completely free of hawkers.
Background and Next Steps
The petition arose amidst large-scale regulation and eviction of hawkers by civic authorities, citing environmental, safety, and public-order concerns. The Advocate General informed the court that a drone survey had identified 1,417 shops, later revised to 1,006 in a GCC plan.
The court has now asked the GCC to submit a freshly redrafted plan incorporating the 300-shop limit and the hawker-free Blue Flag zones. The matter has been posted for further consideration on January 20.
