There is some tension among the fisherfolk of the kuppams off Marina Link Road, the road that runs alongside the beach from the light house point.
The fisherfolk are opposing the big ideas of Chennai Corporation to erect dividers and carry out constriction on the newly-laid road because this will cut off easy access to the boats and sea and disturb the cleaning and drying of nets.
The Loop Road has been relaid over a long period of time and pavements laid – from the Light House end to the junction off Foreshore Estate.
At least in three sections, one side of the relaid pavement is used by women fish hawkers to erect stalls and run their business. In effect, these pavement sections will be not be put to the use they are meant for because the design does not consider erecting a simple fish market here though the market is a hugely popular one.
In many ways, this road has been part of the kuppams here. It was a sandy pathway, then a kutcha one and was later relaid with tar and blue metal stones. Vehicles used the road but when traffic on San Thome High Road became dense and traffic jams the norm, Traffic Police diverted south-bound traffic on the Loop Road.
Now that it has been fully relaid, there are plans to make this a proper road that cars, vans and buses will use. This is a plan the fisherfolk oppose.
Over time, the kuppams have given way for habitation by other people who have nothing to do with fishing but find this place a good residential zone.
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