ECR - Entertainment corridor - Projects Updates

[Rasnaboy]

The East Coast Road in Chennai starting from Thiruvanmiyur upto Maamallapuram is considered the entertainment corridor of Chennai. There are several world-class entertainment/leisure factors available in this corridor and yet many are in the pipeline. Please post all projects related to this corridor in this thread.

[Rasnaboy]

Added attraction: A view of the new TTDC boathouse in Muttukadu on East Coast Road.

CHENNAI: Chief Secretary K.S. Sripathi on Saturday inaugurated the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation’s new boathouse and a floating boat jetty at its Muttukadu boating facility on East Coast Road.

The boathouse, with a special roof made of bamboo, has a lounge from where visitors can watch the boats. It will also have a restaurant serving snacks. The building has been constructed at a cost of Rs.87 lakh, and the floating jetty at a cost of Rs.12 lakh.

Mr. Sripathi told reporters that there were plans to purchase a high-speed boat for the boat house. He urged tourists to help the government maintain the facility. More facilities, including a car park and additional toilets, would be provided.

Tourism Secretary V. Irai Anbu said the TTDC proposed to introduce a water scooter along with a high-speed boat. “We are also going to create a play area for children and a parking lot and rest area for drivers.”

The boat house at Mudaliarkuppam had a speedboat that could touch 100 km/hr. The department was thinking of procuring a similar boat for Muttukadu.

The Muttukadu boat house was inaugurated in 1984 and has 15 row boats, 27 speedboats and nine pedal boats. In the past three years, it has shown an increase in profit.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/19/stor...1958220300.htm

[MA Eswaran]

Another chennai Project topic!!

There is "chennai Project updates" topic besides several chennai projects sub topics!!

[lakshman]

Any idea how the alignment of train goes after mahabalipuram to pondy .Wheather it is just on sea bed or right side of Ecr.any idea.

[neohistoryman]

You mean 'just on the coast', sea bed is bottom of the sea.

[MA Eswaran]

Originally Posted by lakshman

Any idea how the alignment of train goes after mahabalipuram to pondy .Wheather it is just on sea bed or right side of Ecr.any idea.

With Mamtha at the helm of affairs, this project is as good as dead for next 5 years.

So authorities may not be doing any work on alignment decision

[Bless]

Originally Posted by neohistoryman

You mean 'just on the coast', sea bed is bottom of the sea.

Lakshman had one more ambiguity by saying rightside of ECR (forgot to mention while travelling from chennai to pondy), It could have been clear by Which side of ECR? East or West?

[Rasnaboy]

SPLASHING SPORT: A water scooter in action at TTDC’s Rain Drop Boat House in Mudaliarkuppam.

CHENNAI: A high-speed aqua scooter is the latest addition at the Muttukadu Boat House of TTDC.

Officials of the Corporation said since the introduction of the facility on Sunday, the Boat House has been attracting more tourists.

According to them, after inaugurating the refurbished Boat House at Muttukadu, off East Coast Road, on Saturday, Tourism Secretary V. Irai Anbu decided to shift one of the water scooters from TTDC’s Rain Drop Boat House in Mudaliarkuppam.

Enthused by the public response at both the boat houses, TTDC has decided to procure one more water scooter each for Muttukadu and Mudaliarkuppam. Tenders for the same would be floated shortly. The imported water scooter, which can seat three, costs Rs.6.75 lakh.

“We thought it was not a good idea to make a tourist travel 90 km [to Mudaliarkuppam from Chennai] to enjoy a ride on water scooter. It should be made available at Muttukadu too. The two water scooters were introduced in Mudaliarkuppam 14 months ago,” Mr. Irai Anbu told The Hindu.

TTDC Muttukadu Boat House Manager R. Samson Kangaraj said that the launch of water scooter was attracting more visitors even during off-season. TTDC charges Rs.400 per trip.

“We did 49 trips on the first day. On Monday, we did 14 trips and today it was 9 trips. As compared to Mudaliarkuppam the water depth here is between 3 feet and 6 feet and hence it is relatively safe to try out this ride here. We ask the users to compulsorily wear the life-jacket,” he added.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/22/stor...2258710200.htm

[Kewl Batty]

Dotted with theme parks and boat houses, ECR beckons adventure lovers

TTDC eyeing it as a prospective destination to promote adventure tourism in the State

“Upgraded facilities have ensured flow of good number of tourists to these places”

CHENNAI: For those who savour every moment of adrenaline rush and thrill out in the sea or air, the East Coast Road spanning from Thiruvanmiyur to Mudaliarkuppam beckons with a host of options.

And more so now, with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) eyeing it as a prospective destination to promote adventure tourism in the State.

Adventure lovers would find it tough to choose from a wide range of choices from theme parks, boat houses and beach resorts to adventure water sports.

Private players operate a few of these and the TTDC maintains the rest. Making them accessible, most of these places, except Mudaliarkuppam, have been linked by the TTDC hop-on hop-off coaches.
Upgradation

In the last few days, the State-owned Corporation has spent over Rs.1 crore to upgrade its facilities in Muttukadu and Mahabalipuram, while it sought private sector help to introduce adventure water sports in Mudaliarkuppam.

The upgraded facilities have ensured flow of good number of tourists to these places, officials say.

Manager of Rain Drop Boat House, Mudaliarkuppam, C. Krishnamurthy, said, “The distance of 90 km from the city is not a deterrent for sports enthusiasts. Of late, many have started visiting this place even during weekdays for parasailing and water skiing. In fact, we have received over 90 bookings in the last few days. We are not able to accommodate everyone owing to harsh wind and we have closed the booking for the next few weeks.”

Only a week after its introduction, the patronage for the water scooter in Muttukadu has witnessed a 50 per cent jump. “There is an encouraging patronage despite this being an off-season. In the next few days, we will add one more water scooter,” said TTDC Muttukadu Boat House manager C. Samson Kangaraj.

For those who decide to make their adventure trips on their own, government offers a luxury stay in its 75-room TTDC Mahabalipuram Beach Resort Complex, said its Manager, N. David Prabhakar.

The Tamil Nadu Sailing Association has also seen a rise in the number of people opting for ‘A day out at sea’ programme, which forced them to increase the number of boats from 22 to 80.
More youngsters

“In sailing competitions, kids from Chennai outnumber other participants year after year. Now there are lot of youngsters who come to us for a ride into the sea,” its secretary Mushtaqh Ali said.

Observing that the city is attracting many adventure lovers, he suggested that the government could create recreational port, which would facilitate parking for private boats.

“A port would encourage people to buy boats and take a trip to any resorts in ECR through sea. Water sports are something people can never get bored of. ”

[sridhar_n]

Very good initiative...they should also create something akin to Darling Harbour in Sydney...and they should also create a botonical garden...

and btw, whats happening to the Adyar Eco park and also the proposed botonical garden in the estwhile woodlands hotel site..

[die4chennai]

Can we create a new thread with the name 'Chennai Tourism and hospitality' and club threads like '5 star hotels of chennai ,Miniature tamil nadu,ECR entertainment corridor' into one?

We can also have news about beach beutification project,Adyar eco park,Proposed botanical garden, Painting city roads etc. under that thread.

As many of the above threads are active only sporadically,it will be wiser if all are under one thread

[kg4129]

+1

[Kewl Batty]

How many boat houses/theme parks/multiplexes/theatres are in this corridor?

1. Muttukadu boat house
2. VGP golden beach (theme park)
3. Mudaliyarkuppam boat house
4. Mayajaal Multiplex
5. Prarthana Drive-in theatre
6. MGM
7. Mamallapuram..

anything else?

[Anniyan]

dakshin chitra
dolphin house (donno if there are any dolphins now)
Cholamandalam artists village

[Rasnaboy]

11. Madras Crocodile Bank
12. Dakshinachitra

Forthcoming:

1. Underwater (submarine) world (Similar to the one in Singapore) (1st and the only in India).

[Kewl Batty]

Where's that coming up? the underwater world?

[Rasnaboy]

Adjacent to the VGP Universal Kingdom amusement park on Golden Beach.

[Rasnaboy]

Here's the detail...

News dated August 8, 2008.

CHENNAI: An underwater aquarium will be set up adjacent to the VGP Universal Kingdom amusement park on Golden Beach, East Coast Road, VGP group chairman V.G.Santhosam told presspersons here on Thursday.

For the project, expected to take over two years, the Group entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Australia-based VDM Group for cooperation at various levels, including design and construction.

Mr.Santhosam said the proposed under water world aquarium would be an added attraction for tourism promotion along the ECR.

The aquarium, set to be first of its kind in the country, would be spread across three acres, featuring five-metre-deep tunnels through which people can tour the aquarium that is likely to feature some 2,000 marine species from across the world. Amphitheatre, food courts and a marine bio-technology research centre would be part of the aquarium.

“The project design will be finalised in four months after which we will apply for necessary clearances from the government,” VGP vice-chairman V.G.Selvaraj said. He said VDM Group will help the company source marine species from across the world. The company is planning to tap ground water for meeting the needs of the mega aquarium and this water will then be processed to simulate the natural habitat of the fishes, Mr.Selvaraj told The Hindu.

VDM Group Director Clive Bradshaw said the project would require an investment of about US $20-25 million dollars.

The Australian Export Promotion Council is likely to fund the project, he said. Australian Consul General Aminur Rahman participated in the function.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/08/stor...0859260200.htm

[satishanu]

Any idea if the works have started for this. It's been more than a year since it was published

[Kewl Batty]

Cool.. thanks for the info Complan boy....

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12. Kart Attack (Go karting)