The first ever mechanical cleaning of a beach in Tamilnadu was done at Marina Beach and following is the brief history on how the Beach Tech 2000 Machine was deployed on the Marina Beach Sands for a professional cleaning.

My love for a clean beach started on the 15th  September  1999, when a saw the colorful catalogue of German Make Beach Tech 2000 Beach Cleaning Machine, which was already

I visited Mumbai Beaches to know how the Beach Tech 2000 was in operation.

 I immediately approached my Managing Director Thiru. N.R. Mahesh of N.S. Rama Rao Body works with whom I was employed as   Manager Sales – Special Purpose vehicle Division, to promote the sale of SWM related logistics mounted with varieties hydraulic systems systems. He was also keen in selling the machine to someone in Chennai and he took the Southern Regional Distributorship for the machine. I wanted this Beach Tech 2000 machine to clean our Marina Beach. He also helped my visit to Mumbai Beaches to study on how the Beach Tech 2000 was in operation.

I first started meeting people who were similarly interested  in keeping the Marina Beach clean by arranging to purchase the machine with the help of some MNC or Leading Business houses. One Mr. Mehta, who was spreading the message to keep the Marina Beach clean among the users, advised me to approach Taminlnadu State Government Departments, since the purchase of a machine cannot suffice the need it needs a body to control the operations and maintenance of  the machine.

I started running to all related Government departments from the year 2000 and finally I landed at CMDA Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority under the guidance of  Thiru. Swaminathan, Chief Engineer, SWM, of Corporation of Chennai since there was no provision for the Marina Beach cleaning projects, at the time. Besides, CoC was fully geared up in updating the SWM in the City by entering into a Contract with CES Onyix Pvt., Ltd., France based Singapore Company, for whom the integration of the complete fleet of logistics for SWM comprising of several varieties of Vehicle Mounted systems and I was in service with Messrs. N.S. Rama Rao Body Works, active in SPV division, headed by General Manager Thiru S. Anantharaman and Dy. G.M. Thiru. S. Rajkumar. The General Manager – Adminstration Thiru. K.S. Natarajan accorded a firm support to the project.

Finally, in 2003 A.D., The CMDA Chair Person Ms. Jayanthi IAS and Member Secretary Thiru. P.R. Sampath, gave me the audience and listened to my vision and allowed to me to make a presentation in a CD about the Beach Cleaning Machine and the presentation was successfully done by our team of SPV Division of NSR, G.M., Dy. G.M. and Assistant G.M. Thiru Senthil. 

 CMDA, Chief Planner Thiru. Santhanam and The Deputy Planner Ms. S. Chithra (Neighbour of our President)   were so kind to me when I very often pestered them for various guidance in processing the Project Report for the Marina Beach Cleaning Services.
The Chair Person Ms. Jayanthi IAS of CMDA offered the CD presentation to then Chief Minister; to view the performance of the Beach Cleaning Machine and approve the project.

In just a few weeks decisions were made to float Tenders and  Thiru Mahesh MD and G.M. Thiru Anantharaman of NSR arranged to bring in an experienced Contractor from Mumbai who is already running similar projects, with the help of  common friend and Authorised Distributor of Beach Tech 2000 machines Thiru. Malhotra and he spoke to   Thiru. Sanjay Gandhi, Proprietor of Messrs Bala Industries,  Mumbai who in turn agreed to participate in the CMDA Tender, with his similar machine in operation in Mumbai.

There was a stiff competition and Bala Industries was conferred with the Contract by the Member Secretary Thiru. Sampath IAS after considering the Tender Clause which insisted similar experience in mechanical cleaning of beach for the competitive offer.

The Media gave a wide coverage on our Trial run, arranged and coordinated by Thiru. P.R. Sampath, M.S. CMDA, of the Machine and on the Inauguration of the Project by the Chief Minister in September 2003.

CMDA finalized a Four Year contract commencing from September, 2003 till 2007, on Messrs. Bala Indisries, Mumbai, which opened a Chennai Branch Office the Proprietor Thiru Sanjay Gandhi offered me to take up as the Chennai Branch Manager.

Later in 2007, Corporation of Chennai floated tender and again Bala Industires won the race and it is continuing the Marina Beach Mechanical Cleaning Services.

I am heading the said cleaning of Marina Beach cleaning services, since 2003.

My ambition is to clean all the other Beaches

Beasant Nagar Beach

Thiruvanmiyur Beach

Neelankarai Beach

Palavakkam Beach and other beaches which you may suggest.

CMDA used to order the shifting of Beach Tech 2000 machine to the above said beaches at different points during the contract period of  2003 to 2007

Future Mission

Funding the purchase of a set of Beach Cleaning machine and its prime mover Tractor can be worked out at a common meet soon to be organsied.

Please enroll yourself and extend your fullest cooperation by your presence in the meet to be orgaised shortly.

Let us unite for a Clean Beach in and around Chennai to start with.

Presently Marina Beach is being mechanically cleaned by Bala Industries on a three years contract and they are on their second year of operations. CoC through its Mechanical Department is endeavoring to Float a tender for supply, operation and maintenance of a Beach Cleaning Machine, for the past couple of years and it is continuing.

Marina Beach second largest in the world and biggest beach in Asia measures about 3.2 kms in length with an average width of 500 meters which counts to almost 20,00,000 sq mtrs of sand area of Marina Beach. Marina Beach needs at least 2 machines to clean moderately and 3 machines for a total cleaning, when compared to the operational capacity of the machine related to the extent of the Marina Beach.

The present Mechanical Cleaning being done with the help of one Beach Tech 2000 German Beach Cleaning Machine with an operational capacity of 20,000 sq. mtrs. Per hour.

The Concerned officials were time and again reminded on this paradox of disparity on the capacity allocated for the Marina Beach. Still hoping to find a solution.

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Kannan Padmanaban   9382828461