1 week Ago By Omjasvin M D
Chennai: A prime beachfront stretch measuring several acres near the Adyar Estuary in Srinivasapuram has been encroached upon by at least 10 auto repair shops. The stretch which forms the undisturbed part of Marina Loop Road is now occupied by old cars, abandoned two-wheelers and other spare parts, besides semi permanent structures housing the workshops. This part of the beach is closest to the Broken Bridge, where few beach-goers frequent, as it is encroached, dingy and poorly lit.
Beyond 6 pm, anti-socials take charge of the beach, making it unsafe for visitors. When TOI visited the spot on a Wednesday evening, a few mechanics were tinkering with cars on the beach. About 20 SUVs and mid-sized cars lay abandoned.
Near the estuary side, another five or six cars are dumped among the bushes. Even abandoned luxury top-end cars are dumped here . Residents complained of noise pollution as the mechanics carry out tinkering work even in the evening.
"They operate from 9am to even late at night, depending on the demand. The stretch from Foreshore Estate is very narrow. The cars are brought in tow-trucks," said K Mallikarjunan, a fisherman group member.
GCC Commissioner J Kumaragurubaran told TOI that people would not usually visit this spot, and the GCC's anti-encroachment drive too did not extend there. "We will send teams to remove the vehicles. They cannot be allowed to operate on the beach," he said.
Since mid-2024, the GCC has discontinued its drive to rid the city roads of abandoned cars..
