On the Marina Beach, it has taken generations of protests, judicial intervention, and civic activism to strike a balance between the livelihood of vendors, environmental protection, and the safety of visitors.
‘We keep the crime down’
M. Sakthi Vel, a vendor, said, “We demand one shop for each family by verifying ration and Aadhaar cards. We cannot accept the 300-shop restriction. This is a struggle to protect the livelihood of over 4,000 local families who depend on the beach. We, the vendors, ensure that women and children are safe and secure while they visit the world-famous beach. When the vendors keep the shops open, there is low incidence of crime. We have saved many people from drowning, and we have reunited children with parents. We support the police in promoting safety and security of the beach.”
“Each shop here is a source of livelihood for four to five families. Many vendors have completed college education and depend on the beach for their livelihood. I did my graduation in Economics at the Nandanam Government Arts College and was secretary of the Union in the 1990s. I continued to work at my father’s shop as I did not get a job. Vendors near the Labour Statue saved the lives of many people during the Air Show on the beach when they collapsed,” said Mr. Sakthi Vel.
R. Anbu Mani, secretary of the Anna Dr. Kalaignar Sirukadai Vyaparigal Sangam, who manages his father’s shop, said, “We have decided to petition the government to protect our livelihood. The vendors have been here for generations. We are an integral part of the beach, providing essential items to visitors, saving lives, and helping in safety and security.”
Again and again, the vendors stress it is purely a question of protecting their livelihood. G. Venkatesan said his family would lose its only source of income if he closes his shop. “My wife and I have been running a food business in accordance with the guidelines of the Chennai Corporation Health and Food Safety Departments.”
Cleanliness and sanitation issues are not new at the Marina. In the report Will the Marina Regain its Beauty?, published on March 14, 1980, The Hindu noted: “Rubbish is strewn over everywhere on the sand… Pedlars and hawkers selling a wide range of fancy goods, ready-made garments, household wares, and mobile eating stalls contribute a lot to spoiling the beauty of the beach. Foodstuffs exposed to dirt and flies, sold by the mobile stalls, leave a bitter trail of rubbish. The vendors roam about everywhere unrestrained.”
With this long history of a littered shoreline, the Chennai Corporation hopes to bring about a change through the second phase of the Blue Flag Certification initiative. As part of this effort, it removed 28 shops in the area identified for certification. “Blue Flag Area Phase 2 is coming up on the Marina. It will cover more than 50 acres with a no-vending zone,” said Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran. In total, 121 acres of the beach will be developed under the initiative. Pollution of the beach sands and the polluted groundwater therein have reportedly been causing a delay in obtaining Blue Flag Certification. While civic officials have proposed measures to prevent pollution of the beach, the move has elicited mixed response.
‘Great improvements’
V. Suresh, a regular jogger, said, “For the past two years, after the Pongal festival, massive heaps of garbage that remained on the sands had been an eyesore. This year, there have been great improvements. The sit-outs, playareas, and sculptures have been a big hit among the people. Several bins have been placed in the Blue Flag area, so people do not litter on the sand as much as they used to. Also, officers at the beach repeatedly remind visitors, especially during weekends, about the ₹5,000 fine for open dumping. There is fear, and hence more cleanliness. The beach is regaining its beauty.”
However, he cautioned that it might be difficult to reduce the number of shops to 300 as there are more than 1,400 vendors on the beach. “Without alternative space, the vendors may raise objections and may return after a while. Therefore, vending spaces in some part of the beach must accommodate them too,” he adds.
Clean-up: The Marina is dotted with petty shops and eateries that litter the beach. The Chennai Corporation proposes to reduce the number of shops as part of beach beautification. The vendors are up in arms against this exercise. | Photo Credit: Harini S.
Kumar (name changed on request), a vendor affiliated to the ruling party, said eight beach vendor associations were planning to approach the Supreme Court seeking additional time to vacate the beach, as the current deadline of March-end was not feasible. The petition will also seek a vending space that can accommodate all vendors who have been asked to vacate. The associations are Anna MGR Manarparappu Sirukadai Viyaparigal Sangam; Kannagi Silai Sirukadai Viyaparigal Sangam; Subash Chandrabose Manarparappu Viyaparigal Sangam; Marina Vivekanandar Illam Manarparappu Viyaparigal Sangam; Avvaiyar Silai Sirukadai Viyaparigal Sangam; Tamil Nadu Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Kattumaram Matrum Meenpidi Thozhilalar Amaippu; Kamarajar Silai Sirukadai Viyabarigal Sangam; Gandhi Silai Sirukadai Viyaparigal Sangam; and Anna Dr. Kalaignar Sirukadai Viyaparigal Sangam.
Along with his brothers, Kumar has been running tiffin centres on the beach for over 30 years. “Such evictions have taken place repeatedly, even in the 1990s. However, vendors have protested and returned. Most recently In 2019, during the AIADMK government, when vendors were offered carts by the government, they refused, insisting on remaining on the beach,” he added. In May 2017, the Corporation started a drive to regulate commercial establishments on the Marina, removing new encroachments, conducting food raids, and restricting shops to a few rows on the sands.
‘Clear policy is needed’
Advocate Sudha Ramalingam said removing encroachments must be a recurring exercise and the government must ensure it is not merely a knee-jerk reaction. She called for a clear policy to prevent such encroachments. “The existence of visible encroachments on a public place itself shows the inefficiency of the government,” she said, alleging that illegal transactions between vendors, local elements, and authorities — not only on the Marina Beach but across Chennai — led to encroachments throughout the city, be it at Nungambakkam or on the banks of the Virugambakkam Canal at Arumbakkam. She suggested four measures to address the issue: transparent demarcation of vending zones, uniform execution of policies for removing encroachments, political and administrative willingness to enforce regulations, and subjecting officers to stringent punishments for dereliction of duty.
Arul Doss, national convener of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and convener of the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers’ Trade Union, said many vendors depend on selling balloons and food to pay rent and children’s school fees and handle daily expenses.
He said a proper space must be identified and allocated for all vendors, including those who sell items such as balloons and toys and run small establishments. He pointed out that not all shops on Ranganathan Street (T. Nagar) or Ritchie Street (near Anna Salai) are regulated; yet, they are not removed. “Many malls and shopping complexes are built on, or close to, waterbodies, but no action is taken against them,” he said, stressing the need for transparency and strict action against anyone flouting norms, and not just those living below the poverty line.
He further alleged, “Illegal transactions and frequent removal of shops cause losses to legitimate vendors. Further, when shop allocations are made in vending zones, vendors with political affiliations often dominate slots. Hence, there must be strict monitoring.”
Solar-powered rope-car
Ward 104 councillor T.V. Shemmozhi, who had proposed plans for a solar-powered rope-car at the beach, said, “Food and recreation are part of the beach experience, but there must be some regularisation and boundaries to prevent proliferation of shops,” he said. He added that the tenders will soon be floated by the Corporation.
Deputy Mayor M. Magesh Kumaar said, “The Corporation will be fully guided by retired Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar, who was appointed by the Madras High Court to head a monitoring committee for drawing lots to allot shops.”
Being ecologically sensitive zones, beaches along the city also demand special attention from authorities to prevent degradation. In January, Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forests Supriya Sahu had posted on X: “Chennai, let’s welcome the first set of turtle eggs on the Marina Beach as the nesting season begins. An extraordinary moment reminding us about the miracle of nature. Look at the tracks on the sand marking the nesting by turtles. Let’s keep beaches clean and undisturbed.”
“The tussle between preserving nature and regulating shops on the Marina has been a long-drawn issue. Some shops have come up only recently and will be inspected, while those functioning for several years and are identified legally will be given due consideration. Issues such as a single family owning multiple shops will be addressed based on Justice Paul Vasanthakumar’s suggestions, and the process will also be monitored by the retired judge. Neither councillors nor any other elected representative will have a role in this matter,” Mr. Magesh Kumaar added.
