1 week Ago By Omjasvin M D
Chennai: For years, youngsters from fishermen families along Marina Loop Road had no choice but to play cricket and football on the beach, dodging tourists, stalls, and crashing waves. Every match meant chasing wayward balls into the crowd, or losing them to the sea. Just a few metres away, a large sports ground sat unused, not because it lacked space, but because it reeked as it was an open-defecation spot.
Today it is a bustling football field gleaming with goal posts, cricket nets, floodlights with high-mast lamp for night matches, and a viewing gallery with 40 seats. It was inaugurated by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday. The condition of the stinking play area was highlighted by TOI in Jan 2023.
Congress councillor Amirda Varshini took it up in the council, demanding renovation. Mylapore MLA D Velu sanctioned funds worth 1.2 crore.
"The idea was first to build toilets for the fisherwomen there nearby. Once we did this, people stopped using the ground. We built sheds around to stop people entering again.
Youngsters too approached us to restore this facility," she said. "There are men and women's toilets, and drinking water facility," said Amirdha Varshini. MLA Velu said youngsters no longer have to jostle for space with beachgoers, as they have a field of their own now.
"Boys used to complain that they lost balls to the sea and had no space to play. Football is a bigger attraction here than cricket. More than 500 youngsters are here who love sports, and this will benefit the entire Loop Road, from Light House to Pattinambakkam," he said.
Greater Chennai Corporation has plans to restore the beach too. The western side pavements are still used by encroachers and this will be removed, said officials. Residents demanded GCC allocate fishing net and boat area to fishermen, to clear up major parts of the beach.
"In some parts, they can even have volleyball nets inside the beach," said V Vignesh, a resident..
