Two Chennai beaches to get 8 cleaning tractors

Chennai: Taking the ‘mechanical’ route of cleaning city beaches, the Greater Chennai Corporation is all set to procure and deploy 8 retrofitted tractors to sieve and remove garbage on the Marina and Elliot’s beaches.

The Chennai Corporation has recently called for bids to buy 8 machines at a cost of Rs 9.94 crore. “The tourism department of the state has accorded funds under its beach beautification program. The funds will be utilised to deploy the machines attached with and pulled by tractors,” a Chennai Corporation official said.

The civic body had already deployed two tractors in the Marina Beach to remove tiny wastes like spoons and other fine particles. However, the two machines, procured using Chennai Corporation funds, have been facing glitches more often due to mechanical malfunctions.

According to the official, the potential supplier would have to operate and maintain the machines for 5 years. “Sieve-like machinery will be attached to the tractors and will function with power supplied from the tractors. The conveyer will sieve beach sand and separate fine particles,” the official added.

Out of the 8 machines that would be procured, 5 machines would be deployed in Marina Beach and 3 at Elliot’s Beach in Besant Nagar. The tourism department has allotted funds to beautify many beaches in Tamil Nadu, the official said.
 It is learnt that the city corporation has been collecting nearly 3 tons of garbage in Marina Beach on weekdays. However, on holidays, the collection would go up to 5 tons.

The conservancy works in Teynampet and Adyar zone, in which Marina and Elliot’s beaches are located have been awarded to a private firm. The official also said that the machines would be operated during early mornings on daily basis. “Apart from tractors, regular conservancy workers will also continue to remove garbage from sand,” the official added.