TNN Sep 22, 2013, 04.57AM IST
CHENNAI: The 45.72-metre-high lighthouse at Marina beach will be open for school students from November 14. Shipping minister G K Vasan said this would encourage children to get a birds' eye view of the Bay of Bengal and the city and to learn the history of Madras.
The lighthouse, constructed in 1976, is being reopened for visitors with a museum of maritime history after more than two decades. It is one of the few lighthouses in the world with a lift. "Opening of another museum attached to the Mamallapuram lighthouse is also in the final stage," he said. The two museums will feature the maritime history and emergence of Madras as one of the major harbour cities in Asia.
Marina lighthouse is the only one in the country within the city limits. Visitors will be permitted to have an aerial view of the city and the sea from the 9th floor of the 10-story tower. "Additional work to ensure safety of visitors and to provide a balcony view is under progress," said an official. Vasan gave 1.5 crore to different community support projects under the corporate social responsibility programme of Chennai Port Trust.
Vasan said that Southern Railway had agreed to develop a new rail lane connecting Ennore and Minjur. The work will begin soon after a feasibility study. It will be a double lane to decongest container traffic in the northern part of the city. "A detailed project report will be submitted in three months and the final approval will come after that," he said.
Asked about attacks on Indian fishermen in the Bay of Bengal, he said any such repeated acts from the part of Sri Lanka would have serious impacts on the diplomatic relationship between the two countries.
