East Coast Road

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East Coast Road (ECR) is a scenic beachway in TamilNadu,India. Built along the coast of the Bay of Bengal this corridor connects Chennai to Cuddalore through Pondicherry riddled with fishermen hamlets and tourist get aways along its route.

1 History
2 ECR Today
- 2.1 Places of interest
- 2.2 Amusement Parks
3 External Links

[edit] History

Prior to the completion of the East Coast Road, the ECR mainly comprised of village roads connecting one fishermen hamlet to another. The vital connecting link then was the Old Mahabalipuram Road till Mahabalipuram. The much sought after Pondicherry was reached from Chennai through the still existant and busy route via Villupuram along NH-45. The ECR was upgraded into a 4-lane highway with World Bank assistance.

[edit] ECR Today

The ECR starts at Thiruvanmiyur in Chennai. It is a part of the Chennai City roads till Uthandi. From Uthandi starts the scenic beachway section starts as a toll-road. The speed of the vehicles on this road is restricted to a maximum of 80 kph.

[edit] Places of interest

Muttukadu - Located at 23 Kms from Adayar, this backwater area is maintained by the Tamilnadu Tourism Development Corporation, and offers rowing, wind surfing, water skiing, and speedboat riding.

Thiruvidanthai - One of the 108 important places of vaishnavites, this small hamlet houses the temple of Nithyakalyana perumal.

Chennai Crocodile Bank - Center for herpetology - The brainchild of Romulus Whittaker, the acknowledged specialist on reptiles, this centre has gained fame as an endeavour for the preservation and propagation of endangered species of crocodiles. The centre also houses a large variety of snakes.

Mahabalipuram - An UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its pallava sculptures and the shore temples

Pondicherry - the old French colony of India also houses Sri Aurobindo Ashram

[edit] Amusement Parks

Prarthana Drive In Theatre - Approximately 10 Kms out of Adyar, this complex offers both a drive in theatre and a drive in restaurant.

Dakshinachitra - A venture of Deborah Thiagarajan and her associates from the Madras Craft Foundation. Dakshinachitra is an amazing place to visit, as various kinds of traditional houses have been transported to Chennai from interior parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and rebuilt here piece by piece.

MGM Dizzee World - Spread over 27 acres, this theme park offers joy rides, food stalls and other games. It features one of the first roller coaster rides of Chennai. On the softer side, you have the dashing car drives, and the swimming pool with its water slides.

VGP Golden Beach - The first amusement park in Chennai, just about 11 Kms away from Adyar. Still a landmark of Chennai, this park offers over 40 odd rides for the fun seeker. The only park with an access to the beach

Mayajaal multiplex - 100,000 sq.ft of air-conditioned space. A multitude of activities and entertainment avenues, including movie theatres, bowling alleys, video games parlours, multicuisine food courts, and much more. This is Mayajaal, a multidimensional entertainment centre. Open from 11 am to 11 pm you can easily spend the entire day here.