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New beachfront to open up tourist vistas in Puducherry

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

‘RUBY SAND’: The eco-friendly huts in the new beach in Veerampattinam in Puducherry.

PUDUCHERRY: The Tourism Department has opened a new beachfront next to the fishermen hamlet in Veerampattinam, about 10 km from here on the Cuddalore Road.

The beach, christened as ‘Ruby Sand’, will be ready for public to visit from Friday. Basic facilities, including eco-friendly huts, beach chairs and a cafeteria, have been provided, according to officials in the department. An area had been marked for beach volleyball, the official added.

The development of the beach had been taken up on a trial basis. The management would be given to the fishermen. They had been asked to form a society, which would operate and maintain the beach, the official noted.

Till things evolve, the Tourism Department would manage the cafeteria and take care of the beach safety aspect. The catering wing of the department would give training to the local women to run the cafeteria later, the official said. Tourism planners believed that public beaches could not be developed and maintained without the involvement of fishermen. It also gave a platform for fishermen to generate additional income, said an official.

“As of now, they are very enthusiastic and promised to form the society to manage the affairs,” the official said.

The department was exploring the possibility of having boating facility from Thengathittu or Murungapakkam to the beachfront. The beach would be included in the daily tour package organised by the department.

If the new initiative became successful, a similar beach would be developed at Manapet with the involvement of fishermen. The department was also in the process of putting up a fool-proof safety system in all the developed beachs across the Union Territory, he said. Expertise of an ex-naval officer had been sought and a survey was recently conducted on a few beaches to find out safety related to the depth of sea and wave pattern. Apart from deploying lifeguards, drawn from the fishing community and other trained men, watch towers would be constructed.

The lifeguards would be equipped with lifejackets and high-speed boats to meet any emergency.

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