So the latest scoop of news brought to you by WeAreHolidays is that Chennai lighthouse has been reopened after a span of two decades. The lighthouse at the famous Marina Beach which was languishing in loneliness for all these years due to some silly security reasons has been made accessible again. It means that now tourists opting to go to Chennai will get a wonderful chance to visit the lighthouse, climb it through its elevators and even reach the top.
It may sound fabled, even exaggerated, but we are not lying. In the middle of November, 2013, the 46-m mammoth structure got officially reopened in the presence of GK Vasan who is the minister for shipping. Now, you may wonder as to why it got reopened if it was closed in the first place? Right?
The truth is that the lighthouse used to be accessible by general public 20 years back. But then, security concerns were raised and so the government felt it right to barricade the iconic place. You know now how it is in India. Whenever, someone points out that a tourist may commit suicide by jumping off the top storey of the monument, it is closed down. They did the same with other attractions like Delhi’s Qutub Minar. Personally, I find it quite bizarre and unreasonable, since a tourist who wants to commit suicide by jumping off a lighthouse can do it anyhow by jumping off a skyscraper. Why doesn’t the government then ban all the high-rise buildings and offices?
Anyway, the Chennai lighthouse we are talking about has been revamped and fitted with all the grills and security equipments which were considered essential. Now try if you may, you will find it nearly impossible to commit suicide from this place unless you are thin enough to slip out of the few inches of space allowed by the iron grilles.
At WeAreHolidays, we are super excited because now that this lighthouse has opened up again, we are positive that we would be able to help more number of tourists plan that Chennai trip which can help us earn our ‘do waqt ki roti’.
It would also boost the popularity of the Marina Beach which was being lambasted, of late, for the poor maintenance and for the dirt it carried all the time. The lighthouse can now be visited after paying a nominal fee of Rs 10 (for adults) and Rs 5 (for kids).
There are professional guards, trainers and rescue men evacuate you in case something happens. Medical facilities, fire extinguishers and every kind of security measure one could think of have been installed in place. So, you will live, don’t you worry!