Name and Location

The Chennai Marina Lighthouse is located at 284, Marina Beach, Mylapore, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600005, India. Its coordinates are 13°02′23.0″ N, 80°16′46.0″ E. The lighthouse stands on the southern end of Marina Beach promenade, facing the Bay of Bengal.

Construction and History

The Chennai Marina Lighthouse was commissioned in October 1977, replacing the earlier tower at Basant Nagar built in 1959. The lighthouse is a Late-modern functional design typical of the 1970s era. It was designed by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) design bureau.

Architecture and Materials

The tower stands 45.72 meters tall above ground, with a focal plane height of 57 meters above mean sea level. The exterior appearance is a smooth white cylindrical tower with a single gallery and square lantern room. The lighthouse is constructed from reinforced concrete and steel materials.

Light and Navigation

The light characteristic is a group of two white flashes every 10 seconds (Fl. 2 W 10s). The nominal range is 28 nautical miles. The light source and optics include sealed beam electric lamps with a 2nd-order Fresnel lens array (originally used). The lighthouse operates fully automated, powered by mains with a diesel generator backup, from dusk to dawn.

Accessibility and Visiting

The tower interior is closed to the public, but visitors can view the exterior from Marina Beach promenade. To reach the lighthouse, take the road accessible via Beach Road/Chetty's Walk or nearest bus stops on Marina Beach Road. The nearest suburban station is Light House Halt (on Beach Line). There are no admission fees, and guided tours are not offered.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the tower, one can enjoy a panoramic vista of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai coastline, and nearby Fort St. George (although public access to the tower is limited). The surrounding environment features a sandy beach, fishermen's boats, and a public recreational area.

Anecdotes and Folklore

According to local folklore, fishermen once believed that the light could summon shoals of fish (a purely anecdotal claim).

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse operates unmanned, with remote monitoring via the DGLL control center. It is part of the active navigational network.

Further Information

• For further reading, refer to Wikipedia's "Chennai Lighthouse (1977)" article, Wikidata Q6546309, and Wikimedia Commons' Category:Chennai Lighthouse.
• The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships official site provides general information and notices to mariners.