EAST COAST ROAD
East Coast Road, popularly called as ECR, is a two lane express highway that is built along the Bay of Bengal that connects Chennai and Cuddalore through Pondicherry. The drive along the ECR brings with it a spectacular beauty with beaches and fishermen hamlets. The ECR has been extended to Thoothukudi through Chidambaram, Nagapattinam, Adirampattinam, Meemisal, Thondi and Ramnad. The length of ECR is about 595 m from Chennai to Thoothukudi. The work is almost done till Ramnad with about 200 km pending.
ECR TODAY
The ECR starts at Thiruvanmiyur in Chennai and is a part of the City roads until Uthandi. Starting from Uthandi is the scenic beachway section that starts as a toll road. The speed of the vehicles on this road is limited to a maximum of 100 km/h. The State Government is focusing on expediting the proposal for four-lanes of the East Coast Road (ECR). The State Highways Department is making changes in the alignment of ECR to reduce the fat accidents.
ECR COMMITTED FOR TOURISM – AIDED BY GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
The latest news as of January 2010, this year has it that the Government of Tamilnadu has plans of dedicating the ECR for tourism development. According to S.Bhakthavatchalam, joint director, Tamil Nadu Tourism department, “The ECR will be dedicated to tourism-related developments in the way the parallel Old Mahabalipuram Road has been developed for IT infrastructure”. He said this at the release of FICCI-Evalueserve study on hotel infrastructure. Adding to this, he also said, “We are studying the requirements of the villages along the coast for this purpose and will come out with a pro-tourism policy for the areas soon. The government may also offer special incentives for the projects coming up along the ECR Mahabalipuram is witnessing a good inflow of international tourists”.
Fig.1. Practicability studies for four laning of ECR are under process and due for implementation.
Tamilnadu gets around 64 million tourists every year. ECR, stretching to about 150 kms connecting Chennai to Pondicherry is also a tourism attraction offering a lot of beach resorts, theme parks and multiplex theatres. The Government is also providing subsidies for private groups that are focused on setting up hotels in these places too. According to the Government’s decision, for single star hotels 10 percent of the project cost or a maximum of Rs 25 lakh will be provided, for two star, about 50 lakhs and Rs 100 lakhs for three star and above will be provided. Amusemsnt parks, rope car, golf courses and boathouses will receive a subsidy of 10 per cent of the project cost or a maximum of Rs 100 lakh, as well. Subsidies are also given for those who convert heritage buildings to heritage hotels.
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