- Marine Drive, Kochi
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Marine Drive
The view from the southern end of the Musical Walkway adjoining the Fishing net Bridge.Location Kochi Length 1.75 km Notable landmarks Rainbow bridge, Chinese fishing net bridge Governing authority Greater Cochin Development Authority Marine Drive is a picturesque promenade in Kochi, Kerala, India. It is built facing the backwaters, and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Ironic to its name, no vehicles are allowed on the walkway. Marine Drive is also an economically thriving part of the city of Kochi. With several shopping malls it is as an important centre of shopping activity in Kochi. Major fast food joints, including Marrybrown, DiMark, Barista, Coffee Bar are present along the walkway. The view of the setting and rising sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze from the Vembanad Lake has made Marine Drive an important tourist destination in Kochi.Hundreds of people (both natives, and tourists) throng the walkway during the evenings. The walkway starts from the High Court Junction and continues until the Rajendra Maidan. There are also several boat jetties along the walkway.
The walkway has two contemporarily constructed bridges, the Rainbow bridge and the Chinese Fishing Net Bridge.
Name & History
Until the 1980s, the Shanmugham Road was the literal marine drive with the Kochi Lake and the adjoining Arabian Sea to its west. In the 1980s, GCDA started the Kochi Marine Drive project (following from the Mumbai Marine Drive) and thus the whole of the present Marine Drive (part of the Kochi Lake, west of the Shanmugham Road to the present Marine Walkway) was claimed from the Kochi Lake. The then plan of GCDA was to eventually construct a road on the western border of this land, which would thus become a literal marine drive. But due to the enforcement of the Coastal Protection Laws in India in the 1990s, construction of a road became impossible. That's what led the GCDA toward settling down with a marine walkway instead of an actual marine drive. But the name Marine Drive, since the initiation of the project in the 1980s, identifies the whole region (which was claimed from the lake), and not just the walkway.
Places Lining the Marine Drive
The Marine Drive stretches from the Jankar Jetty in the north to the Ernakulam Boat Jetty in the south. The adjoining areas are the Public Ground, Skyline apartments, Federal Bank Building, the GCDA Shopping Complex, the Kerala Trade Center (under construction), Abad Bay Pride Mall, Pioneer Towers, Hotel Taj Residency, Alliance Residency, DD Samudra Darshan apartment, and the India Priyadarshini Children's Park - in that order from North to South. These buildings and grounds are in between the marine drive walkway and the Shanmugham Road.
The Public Ground at the Northern part of the Marine Drive is the preferred venue for major exhibitions, and more importantly political meetings that mark major landmarks in the Kerala political scene. It was here that the meeting to announce AK Antony's comeback to the Indian National Congress was held in 1982. The GCDA Shopping Complex is a major shopping arcade in Ernakulam city.
The important landmarks are:
- The Marine Walkway streatching from Subash Chandra Bose Park in the south, to KSINC Boat Jetty in the north.
- The Rainbow Bridge which is part of the Marine Walkway
- The China Net Bridge which is part of the Marine Walkway
- GCDA Shopping Complex in Marine Drive.
- The Asoka-Tharangini Apartments
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The Chinese Fishing net bridge at the Marine Drive walkway in Kochi
Kochi Landmarks Localities Fort Kochi · Mattancherry · Marine Drive · Ernakulam · Kakkanad · Vypeen · Edapally · Kadavanthra · Vytilla · Willingdon Island · North ParavurHistory Transport Government Organizations Cochin Stock Exchange · Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore · Greater Cochin Development Authority · International Container Transshipment Terminal, Kochi · Kochi Refineries Limited · Tourist attractionsMalls Bay Pride Mall · Oberon Mall · Lulu Cochin Mall · Gold Souk Grandé · Abad Nucleus Mall · Forum Thomsun MallCulture Places of worship Chottanikkara Temple · Poornathrayeesa Temple · Eranakulathappan Temple · Thamaramkulangara Sree Dharma Sastha temple · Paradesi Synagogue · Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica · St. Francis Church · St Mary's Cathedral Basilica · St.George's Forane Church EdappallyHealth care Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre · Mar Augustine Memorial Lisie Hospital · Gautham Hospital panayapilly cochinEducation Assissi Vidyaniketan · Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan · Chinmaya Vidyalaya · Choice School · Cochin Refineries School · Kendriya Vidyalaya · Navy Children School · SRV High School · St.Treasas Convent Girls Higher Secondary School · Toc-H Public School · The Delta Study · Vidyodaya SchoolHigher Education Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre · Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham · Cochin University of Science and Technology · National University of Advanced Legal Studies · Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute · Model Engineering College · Govt. Law College, Ernakulam · School of Communication and Management Studies · Albertian Institute of Management · Federal Institute of Science And Technology · Rajagiri · SCMS School of Engineering and Technology · St. Teresa's College · Maharaja's College · Mar Athanasius College of Engineering · MES College Marampally, AluvaRoads Mahatma Gandhi Road Kochi · Chittoor Road · Banerji Road · Shanmugham Road · Kalabhavan Road · Park Avenue · S.A Road · Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road · Subhash Chandra Bose Road, Kochi · Kochi Bypass · Seaport-Airport RoadSports Press Television Channels Amurtha TV · Asianet News · Jeevan TV · Kairali Me · IndiavisionFilm Industry Lal Media · Riyan Studio · Kochin KalaBhavanAlengad · Aluva · Ambalamugal · Angamaly · Arookutty · Azhikode · Chellanam · Chendamangalam · Chengamanad · Cherai · Cheranallur · Cherthala · Choornikkara · Chottanikkara · Chittoor · Edapally · Edathala · Elamkulam · Eloor · Ezhikkara · Fort Kochi · Kadamakkudy · Kadavanthra · Kadungallur · Kakkanad · Kalamassery · Kaloor · Karukutty · Kizhakkambalam · Kodungallur · Kolenchery · Kumbalam · Kumbalangy · Maliankara · Marine Drive · Moothakunnam · Mulavukad · Nedumbassery · Njarackal · North Paravur · Pachalam · Palarivattom · Palluruthy · Panampilly Nagar · Panayikulam · Pathalam · Pattimattom · Perumbavoor · Puthencruz · Puthuvype · Thiruvankulam · Thoppumpady · Thrikkakara · Thuravoor Thekku · Thuruthipuram · Vaduthala · Vallarpadam · Varapuzha · Vazhakulam · Vennala · Vypin · Vyttila · Willingdon Island ·
Categories:- Neighbourhoods of Kochi
- Regions of Kochi
- Visitor attractions in Kochi, India
- Tourism in Kerala
- Ernakulam district
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