The 3.10-km stretch, from Labour statue to the Light House, sports a new green look with inspiring fountains, lush lawns, 14 landscaped galleries and two footpaths of four and five-metre width with steel hand-grabs. The landscaped lawns, service lanes, comfortable seating space for visitors, modern pergolas and a state-of-the-art lighting arrangement were expected to be a big hit.

The Chief Minister, in his budget speech of 2007-08, had promised to elevate the Marina Beach to world-class standards. Additional parking for buses, cars and motorcycles has been created. The beautification work started in February 2008 and was completed in October 2009. Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin was present on the occasion

A release from the Chennai Corporation said the master plan for improvement was prepared in June 2007 and modern architectural elements like plazas, gazebos and pergolas were built without affecting the environment.