East Coast Road

East Coast Road (ECR) is an express highway built along the coast of the Bay of Bengal connecting Chennai to Cuddalore via Pondicherry. A trip along the East Coast Road gives rise to a spectacular scenic beauty with beaches and fishermen hamlets.

History

Prior to the completion of the East Coast Road, the ECR mainly consisted 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 existent and busy route via Tindivanam along NH-45.

ECR Today

The ECR starts at Thiruvanmiyur in Chennai and 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 100 km/h. The State Government is keen on expediting the proposal for four-laning of the East Coast Road (ECR). The State Highways Department is in the process of seeking certain geometrical changes in the present alignment of the ECR as a measure to reduce the number of fatal accidents. [ [http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/27/stories/2007022706790500.htm East Coast Road four-laning plan will be speeded up: official] ]

Places of interest

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*Marundeeswarar Temple- Located at 4 km from adayar which is one of the famous temple in east coast road.special poojas are made during the festival time.

*DakshinaChitra - It is a center for the living traditions of art, folk performing arts, craft and architecture of India with an emphasis on the traditions of South India. A project of the Madras Craft Foundation (MCF), a non-profit organisation. DakshinaChitra opened to the public in December 1996. The center occupies ten undulating acres overlooking the Bay of Bengal, at Muttukadu, twenty five kilometers south of Chennai, on the East Coast Road to Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, India...
*Muttukadu - Located at 23 km from Adayar, this backwater area is maintained by the Tamilnadu Tourism Development Corporation, and offers rowing, wind surfing, water skiing, and speedboat riding.

*Covelong - Located at 26 km from Adayar, this bay is the site of a colonial Dutch Fort, and a fishing village with wind surfing opportunities.

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

*Madras Crocodile Bank Trust - 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

Amusement Parks

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*Prarthana Drive In Theatre - Approximately 10 km 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 km 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 - convert|100000|sqft|m2|abbr=on 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.

*Restaurants and Hotels - There are plenty of Hotels and restaurants with delicious food located along with the ECR road in chennai.

References

External links

* [http://www.tnrdc.com/ecrproject.asp TamilNadu Roadways Corporation site on ECR]
* [http://www.tnrdc.com/passes.asp ECR Toll Rates]
* [http://www.madrascrocodilebank.org Chennai Crocodile Bank official website]
* [http://www.ecrchennai.com A website fully dedicated to the ECR]