State positively considering marina on mouth of cooum

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

The state government is positively considering a proposal to set up a marina at the mouth of the Cooum, which also has public works department, department of tourism, sports, National Maritime Foundation  and Tamil Nadu Sailing Association as stakeholders.

The proposal, floated by TN Sailing Association to the state government to set up a marina near Anna Swimming Pool, will be on a public private partnership model will also look into setting up a sailing academy besides a place to host national and international events.

An expression of interest has been submitted which calls for design, installation, commissioning and operation of marina to handle pleasure boats of length varying from five metres onwards

Commodore Ashok R Thakkar, who is chairman, Sailing Development Committee Yachting Association of India told Express that the marina, which is modeled after Kochi experience comes in the wake of Tamil Nadu tourism department planning to tap the rich coastline of state to boost tourism

Thakkar said the initial proposal is to have marina for 24 yachts, besides a slipway, a boat-shed, a boatlift, a base for Tamil Nadu coastal police, berthing area for water taxis and a club house.

Currently, the plan is to open the mouth of Cooum and set up a marina 250 metre from high tide line which complies with coastal regulation norms. Although the project is still at a nascent stage, Thakkar feels that the marina will not only boost tourism and create jobs but also can help set up a base for state coastal security police besides putting to use the water based equipments needed during the disaster.

Interestingly, this proposal comes in the wake of Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation setting up a marina near Muttukadu in the East Coast Road and Ministry of Shipping calling for expression of interest to set up a marina inside the Port Trust.