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{{short description|picturesque promenade in Kochi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox| title = Marine Drive
| headerstyle = background:#ccf;
| labelstyle =
| datastyle =
| image = [[File:Marine Beauty 3 DSW.jpg|220px]]
| caption = The Rainbow Bridge at Marine Drive, Kochi
| label2 = Location
| data2 = {{flagicon|India}} [[Kochi, India|Kochi]]
| label3 = Length
| data3 = 1.75 km
| label4 = Notable landmarks
| data4 = Rainbow bridge, Chinese fishing net bridge and Kettuvellam bridge
| label5 = Governing authority
| data5 = [[Greater Cochin Development Authority]]
}}
'''Marine Drive''' is a picturesque promenade in [[Kochi]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cochin Tourist Attractions|url=http://www.cochin.org.uk/tourist-attractions/godaisan-hill.html| publisher= Cochin.org| access-date=20 June 2016}}</ref> It is built facing the [[Kerala Backwaters|backwaters]], and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Despite its name, no vehicles are allowed on the walkway. Marine Drive is also an economically thriving part of the city of Kochi.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marine Drive Ernakulam|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/kochi/marine-drive-ernakulam.php| publisher= Kerala Tourism| access-date=20 June 2016}}</ref> With several [[shopping mall]]s it is as an important centre of shopping activity in Kochi. Major fast food joints, including [[Marrybrown]], DiMark, Coffee Bar are present along the walkway. The view of the setting and rising sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze from the [[Vembanad Lake]] has made Marine Drive an important tourist destination in Kochi. Hundreds of people (both natives, and tourists) throng the walkway during the evenings. The walkway starts from the [[Kerala High Court|High Court]] Junction and continues until the Rajendra Maidan. There are also several [[jetty|boat jetties]] along the walkway.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marine Drive Kochi|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/marine-drive-kochi/546| publisher= Kerala Tourism| access-date=20 June 2016}}</ref>

The walkway has three bridges: the Rainbow bridge, the Chinese Fishing Net Bridge and the House Boat Bridge.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marine Drive Kochi|url=http://centrepointcochin.in/kochi-attraction/80-marine-drive-kochi.html| publisher= Centre Point| access-date=2 April 2016}}</ref>

== Name and history ==
Until the 1980s, the [[Shanmugham Road]] was the literal marine drive with the [[Kochi Lake]] and the adjoining [[Arabian Sea]] to its west. In the 1980s, [[Greater Cochin Development Authority|GCDA]] started the [[Greater Cochin Development Authority#Kochi Marine Drive|Kochi Marine Drive project]] (following from the [[Marine Drive, Mumbai|Bombay Marine Drive]]) and thus the whole of the present ''Marine Drive'' (part of the [[Kochi Lake]], west of the [[Shanmugham Road]] to the present ''Marine Walkway'') was claimed from the ''Kochi Lake''. The then plan of GCDA was to eventually construct a road on the western border of this land, which would thus become a literal marine drive. But due to the enforcement of the Coastal Protection Laws in India in the 1990s, construction of a road became impossible. That's what led the GCDA toward settling down with a marine walkway instead of an actual marine drive. In 1992, under the leadership of the GCDA Chairman [[V. Joseph Thomas IPS]] a beautification project of the walkway was established, leading to the construction of the iconic Rainbow Bridge. But the name ''Marine Drive'', since the initiation of the project in the 1980s, identifies the whole region (which was claimed from the lake), and not just the walkway.

==Places lining Marine Drive==
The Marine Drive stretches from the Jankar Jetty in the north to the Ernakulam Boat Jetty in the south. The adjoining areas are the Public Ground, Skyline apartments, Federal Bank Building, the GCDA Shopping Complex, the Kerala Trade Centre (under construction), Abad Bay Pride Mall, Pioneer Towers, Hotel Taj Gateway, Alliance Residency, DD Samudra Darshan apartment, and the India Priyadarshini Children's Park - in that order from North to South. These buildings and grounds are in between the marine drive walkway and the [[Shanmugham Road]].

The Public Ground at the Northern part of the Marine Drive is the preferred venue for major exhibitions, and more importantly political meetings that mark major landmarks in the Kerala political scene. It was here that the meeting to announce AK Antony's comeback to the Indian National Congress was held in 1982. The GCDA Shopping Complex is a major shopping arcade in Ernakulam city.
The latest attraction is kulukki sarbath outlet, which makes local mocktails<ref>{{cite web |title=Marine Drive: Kochi's lost beauty|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/Marine-Drive-Kochis-lost-beauty/2016/05/26/article3451001.ece| publisher= New Indian Express| access-date=20 June 2016}}</ref>

Important landmarks on Marine Drive are:
* The Marine Walkway, stretching from Subash Chandra Bose Park in the south, to KSINC Boat Jetty in the north.
* The Rainbow Bridge, over Market Canal near GCDA shopping complex ({{Coord|9.9798|76.2750|display=inline}}).
* The House boat Bridge, part of the Marine Walkway near [[Goshree bridges|Goshree bridge]] end ({{Coord|9.9865|76.2715|display=inline}}).
* The China Net Bridge, over Mullassery canal near Children's park, a part of the ''Marine Walkway'' ({{Coord|9.9745|76.2775|display=inline}}).<ref>{{cite web |title=‘Kettuvallam Palam’ on the Marine Drive walkway|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/article389377.ece| publisher= New Indian Express| access-date=2 June 2016}}</ref>
* GCDA Shopping Complex, along Marine Drive ({{Coord|9.9785|76.2763|display=inline}}).
* The Asoka-Tharangini Apartments
[[File:Marine Drive Kochi Night View DSW.jpg|1100px|center|thumb|A night view of Marine Drive, Kochi]]

==Marine Drive Scheme Phase 2==
Marine Drive Scheme Phase 2 is an extension of the Phase 1 proposed in the land to be reclaimed of about 400 hect. extending from [[Goshree Islands Development Authority|GIDA]] land to [[Varappuzha]], as a part of Vision-2030.<ref name="ach">[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/vision-2030-to-reshape-kochi-into-a-global-kochi/articleshow/13142564.cms Vision-2030 to reshape Kochi into a global Kochi], Times of India, 15 May 2012</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="250px" height="200px" perrow="4" align="center">
image:Eve Beauty Marine DSW.jpg|A view from Marine Drive at night
image:Kettuvallam Bridge DSW.jpg|Kettuvallam Bridge near [[Goshree bridges|Goshree bridge]]
image:Marine Drive Walkway DSW.jpg|Marine Walkway at night
image:Blue Marine Drive.JPG|Beauty of Marine Drive at Evening
image:Marine Drive Kochi.jpg|The [[cheena vala|Chinese Fishing net]] bridge over Mullassery canal at the Marine Drive walkway
image:Musical-walkway.jpg|The view from the southern end of the Musical Walkway adjoining the Fishing net Bridge.
image:Rainbow Bridge DSW.jpg|Rainbow Bridge over Market Canal near GCDA shopping complex.
image:Marine Drive Chinese Net DSW.jpg|Chinese Net View from Marine Drive
image:Kochi_India.jpg|A wide view of the buildings lining the Marine Drive
image:BW Marine DSW.jpg|An artistic view from Kochi Marine Drive
image:Marine Drive View.JPG|A Holiday Marine Drive View
image:Prestige Apartments Marine Drive View DSW.jpg|Prestige Apartments at Marine Drive Kochi
image:Sunset from Marine Drive.jpg|Sunset view from Marine Drive
image:View From A Hotel On Marine Drive Kochi.jpg|View from a hotel on Marine Drive, Kochi
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Queen's Way, Kochi|Queen's Way]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Marine Drive, Kochi}}

{{Kochi (India) topics}}
{{Neighbourhoods of Kochi}}

{{Coord|9.980|76.275|display=title}}

[[Category:Regions of Kochi]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kochi]]
[[Category:Neighbourhoods in Kochi]]
[[Category:Waterfronts]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Kochi]]

Marine Drive, Kochi - Revision history

202.83.57.74: WP:IRI