94-564: Taj Connemara, Chennai is a five-star hotel in Chennai , India . It is a heritage hotel in Chennai. Classified under the Taj Group's business hotels section, the 127-year-old hotel is considered the oldest hotel in the city. The property of Taj Connemara was originally a house bought by John Binny from The Nawab of Arcot in 1799. The property was later bought by T. Somasundara Mudalyar and built as
188-655: A 30-kilometre (19 mi) stretch of the Cooum in December 2010, initially discharging about 5.7 cubic metres per second (200 cu ft/s) of surplus water from the Poondi reservoir into the river. In September 2011, the WRD began cleaning the river at a cost of ₹ 10.2 million and the work is expected to be completed within a fortnight. In 2012, the government allotted ₹ 3,000 million towards construction of 337 sewage cleaning systems in
282-693: A booking service. It was first owned by the state based automobile clubs including NRMA , RACV , RACQ , RAC , RAA and RACT . It was then organized by the Australian Automobile Association Tourism (AAA Tourism) as a peak body. However, the booking service in the motoring clubs was not continued and later the annual accommodation guide book ceased to be printed with the accommodation guide going online. AAA Tourism closed in 2013, but Star Ratings Australia continued as an inspection and star rating service only, as well as an accommodation website. In 2015 Star Ratings Australia became one of
376-400: A brief period. Egrets and cormorants too were cited flocking the river to feast on fish. The river discharged the floodwater at a rate of about 21,500 cubic metres per second (760,000 cu ft/s). A 1928 poem by V. H. Shipley describes the river as follows: Of dirt and smell your sources wake... And near the sea where one would think Your water might be cleaner, It forms a cesspit by
470-514: A butler for every room, was the first hotel widely described as a "seven-star" property. The hotel says the label originates from an unnamed British journalist on a press visit and that they neither encourage the term's use nor do they use it in their advertising. Similarly the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi (open since 2005) is sometimes described as seven star, but the hotel uses only
564-444: A colonial ambiance, Raintree—an ethnic, open-air restaurant serving Chettinad cuisine from Tamil Nadu. Greeneries in the hotel include a dramatic old raintree and two sturdy Nagavalli trees. For decades, the hotel has been integral to the functioning of several clubs and associations in the city. The Rotary Club of Madras has been meeting in the hotel every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. since 10 May 1929, and plaque has been erected past
658-463: A dip in the Cooum. The Cooum river was then clean and unpolluted. For centuries, Cooum has been an integral part of the socio-economic and cultural life of the city. Till the early twentieth century, it was a clean river, most suitable for navigation. In ancient times, it played a pivotal part in the far-flung maritime trade between the Roman Empire , South India and Sri Lanka . Cooum's proximity to
752-812: A five star rating. The Galleria in Milan , Italy was opened in 2007 and claims to have a seven star certificate from SGS Italy2008. However the SGS Italy (not the official tourism agency) only has five stars in the general hotel stars categorization, with the full title of the certificate being left unknown, just as the renewal process is unknown. Overall, as no traditional organization or formal body awards or recognizes any rating over five-star deluxe; such claims are predominantly used for advertising purposes. In recent years, alternative hotel ratings are starting to appear in an effort to promote sustainability or cultural diversity in international tourism. Green Key International
846-477: A hotel press release, the 1937 renovation, estimated at ₹ 575,000, boasted about its "cool refreshing air delivered through the newest air conditioning apparatus." According to the first published tariff of the hotel, the cost of a room on single occupancy was ₹ 10 with breakfast and that of a room with all meals was ₹ 17.80. Spencer's leased the Connemara to the Taj Group in 1974. The tower block and linking pool
940-501: A hotel types granting up to 5 stars. In India , the classification of hotels is based on two categories such as "Star" and "Heritage". Hotels in India are classified by Hotel and Restaurant Association Classification Committee (HRACC), Ministry of Tourism, India . In New Zealand , hotels and other tourism services are graded by Qualmark, which is owned by Tourism New Zealand , a government organisation. Historically, luxury hotels have used
1034-508: A key role in the development of quality hotel services, as well as equitable and sustainable tourism , and the protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage. In addition, WHR will develop labels to promote hotels distinguished by specific features, such as a family and child-friendly disposition. A test period was scheduled for 2010. Some hotels have been advertised as seven-star hotels. The Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai , opened in 1998 with
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#17328980217081128-407: A little shop near Anna Circle, bought the hotel and its nine acres to build a showroom. Oakshott wanted to give Spencer's a facelift, so he decided to build one of Asia's biggest departmental store. In the 1930s, James Stiven, director of Spencer's, modernised the hotel starting in 1934, and the modernisation was completed in 1937. It sported an art deco look when it was reopened in 1937. According to
1222-592: A major makeover to re-create the theme of its early past and reopen as an intimate high-end luxury hotel. Aiming at recreating old menus and cuisines, the renovation would retain only the Verandah and Raintree restaurants, refurbishing all the rooms, lobby and banquet halls to look more like the hotels early years. The renovation would be made by the Mumbai-based engineering consultancy Structwel Designers and Consultants Private Limited. Then, London-based designer Susan Freeman,
1316-399: A piece of land isolating it from the surrounding land before draining into the eastern sea. However, the mouth of the river is not too wide and does not have any islet. The river mouth has groynes running to a total length of nearly 250 metres (820 ft). The opening between the groynes is about 170 metres (560 ft) to facilitate tidal action. The impact of high tide bringing in sea water
1410-471: A provision to park 70 vehicles. The butterfly park will be built in the second phase. During the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, the empty waterway enabled it to take in much of the incoming ocean water. Some say this would not have been possible had the river been in full flow. In November 2005, three days of torrential rains flushed out the waste and cleaned up the river, and the river looked clear for
1504-464: A role." Cooum 13°04′05″N 80°17′09″E / 13.068107°N 80.28585°E / 13.068107; 80.28585 The Cooum River , or simply Koovam , is one of the shortest classified rivers draining into the Bay of Bengal . This river is about 72 km (45 mi) in length, flowing 32 km (20 mi) in the city of Chennai (urban part) and the rest in rural part. The river
1598-556: A short period. Nevertheless, the river is still being used for drinking water needs of many villages in the banks of the unpolluted part of the river. The Cooum River originates in a village of the same name in Kadambathur union in Tiruvallur district, about 70 kilometres (43 mi) from Chennai, although starting its main course at Sattarai village, around 65 kilometres (40 mi) from Chennai. Flowing through Thiruverkadu , it enters
1692-410: A single public standard; Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Hungary all have laws defining the hotel rating. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the rating is defined by the respective hotel industry association using a five-star system. The classifications are: Tourist (★) | Standard (★★) | Comfort (★★★) | First Class (★★★★) | Luxury (★★★★★) The "Superior" mark
1786-496: A specialist in historical renovation was hired to work on the rooms and the restaurants. The hotel reopened on 20 October 2018 as the Taj Connemara. The renovation took 22 months, cost 900 million Rupees, and involved 1400 workers. The renovation preserved the architectural influences of Classic Colonial, Art Deco and distinctive elements from architect Geoffrey Bawa's "Tropical Modernism" style. The Art Deco façade and interiors are
1880-692: A standard. Hotels are independently assessed in traditional systems and rest heavily on the facilities provided . Some consider this assessment method disadvantageous to smaller hotels, whose quality of accommodation could fall into one class but whose lack of an item such as an elevator would prevent it from reaching a higher categorization. The more common classification systems include "monkey" rating, letter grading, from "A" to "F", such as hotels and motels. Systems using terms such as Deluxe/Luxury, First Class/Superior, Tourist Class/Standard, and Budget Class/Economy are more widely accepted as hotel types, rather than hotel standards. Some countries have rating by
1974-474: A star and others optional. The main criteria are in quality management, wellness and sleeping accommodation. In the catalogue of criteria each entry is associated with a number of points – each Hotelstars level requires a minimal sum of points besides some criteria being obligatory for the level. The minimum requirement for the Superior flag requires the same sum of points as for the next Hotelstars level which however
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#17328980217082068-516: A total of 147 rooms, which include 143 double rooms and 4 suites. The hotel has 2 meeting rooms which include a ball room that can accommodate up to 400 people in a theatre style and up to 600 people for cocktails. The conference room of the hotel can accommodate up to 30 people in a theatre style. The restaurants in the hotel include The Verandah—a 24-hour coffee shop serving Indian, Continental and Thai food, The Lady Connemara Bar and Lounge—serving exotic cocktails, spirits, wines, beer and light snacks in
2162-428: Is Chennai—The Taj Connemara , which reproduces an advertisement from 1880 that states the hotel, called The Imperial Hotel then, promises "extensive premises… cool and fitted with every convenience" and wines from the "celebrated house of Messrs. McDowell & Co." The book gives a rare collection of photographs of old Madras roads, buildings, interiors of the hotels and the hotel's tariff since 1939. According to Muthiah,
2256-527: Is a voluntary eco-classification awarded to around 2,900 hotels and other establishments in 57 countries by the Foundation for Environmental Education . Green Key Global is a voluntary eco-classification awarded to around 1,850 hotels and venues in 15 countries. In 2009, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts joined the Green Key Global program. Green Globe is a certification for sustainable tourism. Membership
2350-630: Is an umbrella organization for 39 associations from 24 European countries. At a conference in Bergen in 2004, the partners drafted a hotel classification system in order to harmonize their national standards. In 2007 HOTREC launched the European Hospitality Quality scheme (EHQ) which has since accredited the existing national inspection bodies for hotel rating. Under the patronage of HOTREC, the hotel associations of Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland created
2444-399: Is based on the earlier German hotelstars system that had widely influenced the hotel classifications in central Europe, with five stars and a Superior mark to flag extras. Instead of a strict minimum in room size and required shower facilities (e.g. a bath tub in a four-star hotel) there is a catalogue of criteria with 7 qualification areas encompassing 247 elements, where some are mandatory for
2538-551: Is felt for nearly 3 kilometres (2 mi) in the river. At present, the river has to be periodically cleaned to prevent sand deposits near the river mouth, close to the Napier bridge, which are removed at frequent intervals using at least two machines to facilitate tidal action and avoid flooding. About 80,000 cubic metres (2,800,000 cu ft) of sand were removed in 2010–11. The river basin spans an area of 505.88 square kilometers. There are nine major bridges built over
2632-662: Is highly polluted in the urban area (Chennai). Along with the Adyar River running parallel to the south and the Kosasthalaiyar River , the river trifurcates the city of Chennai and separates Northern Chennai from Central Chennai. It is also sometimes known as Thiruvallikenni river Its source is in a place by the Kesavaram Anaicut built across Kallar river in Vellore district adjoining Chennai district . From its origin in
2726-593: Is one more temple called the Veerebathrasami temple. The god in the temple is otherwise known as "Akoramoorthy". This temple is at Pillayarkuppam, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Cooum village. In ancient Tamil Nadu, under the Chola Empire, the river Cooum was referred to as Kashtabudhyotpathihi . They all form a group of villages called Padhinaru Nattham . The river drains into the Bay of Bengal at Chepauk in Chennai marking
2820-489: Is one of the main objectives of the project. The upper region of the river, mainly Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur districts, will be benefiting from this special fund. A team from Chennai has visited San Antonio in Texas to see how they successfully did the clean-up of a polluted river. The team comprised former Deputy Chief Minister M. K. Stalin , former Chennai Mayor M. Subramaniam and other senior officers. One of
2914-616: Is reserved for companies and organizations who are committed to making positive contributions to the planet. The Green Building Initiative (GBI) acquired the U.S. rights to the Canadian Green Globes building assessment and certification for the program in 2004 and adapted it for the U.S. market. Salam Standard is a classification system for Muslim-friendly hotels. Hotels can get certified based on certain Muslim-friendly criteria such as offering prayer mats, removing alcohol from
Taj Connemara - Misplaced Pages Continue
3008-549: Is to flag extras beyond the minimum defined in the standard, but not enough to move the hotel up to the next tier ranking. The Swiss hotel rating was the first non-government formal hotel classification beginning in 1979. It influenced the hotel classification in Austria and Germany. The formal hotel classification of the DEHOGA (German Hotel and Restaurant Association) started on 1 August 1996 and proved successful with 80% of guests citing
3102-535: Is today a drainage course inside the city of Chennai. The total length of the river is about 65 kilometres (40 mi). The river flows to a length of 40 kilometres (25 mi) in the Chennai Metropolitan Area, of which 16 kilometres (10 mi) fall within the Chennai district limits. The total catchment area of the river is about 400 square kilometres (150 sq mi), and the bed width ranges from 40 to 120 metres (130 to 390 ft). The capacity of
3196-539: The British rated Connemara as one of the best hotels in the world. Although the building was purportedly 200 years old by the turn of the twenty-first century, dating back to the original garden house bought by John Binny, according to Muthiah nothing of the old structure remains. The oldest part of the hotel is that built in the 1880s and 1890s. In September 2010, the hotel was rebranded and renamed as Vivanta by Taj —Connemara, Chennai. The hotel closed on 1 November 2016 for
3290-483: The Chennai District at Arumbakkam after meandering for about 54 kilometres (34 mi). It then passes through some of the oldest residential areas for another 18 kilometres (11 mi) such as Choolaimedu , Chetpet , Egmore and Chintadripet , where the river channel is about 30 metres (98 ft) wide. Close to Egmore, the river forks into two—the northern and the southern arms—both of which join again near
3384-559: The Kesavaram village to Thandurai ( Pattabiram ), Avadi , Thiruverkadu Anaikat, the river remains unpolluted. Beyond this point, the river is highly polluted till its mouth on the Bay of Bengal. In Chennai district, the river flows through three corporation zones— Kilpauk , Nungambakkam and Triplicane —for a total length of 16 kilometres (10 mi). Owing to the intensive use of surface water upstream for agriculture, indiscriminate pumping of groundwater leading to reduced base flow in
3478-735: The Napier bridge , thus forming an island, known as the Island Grounds. The northern part of the Buckingham Canal joins the Cooum near the old Central Jail while the southern part of the same canal emerges from the river, just behind the University of Madras campus. The river finally joins the Bay of Bengal south of the Fort St George , just below the Napier Bridge. Once a fresh water source, it
3572-621: The Buckingham Canal and the Adyar. This resulted in the implementation of the ₹ 12,000-million Chennai City River Conservation Project (CCRCP) in January 2001, which was substantially supported by the Union Environment and Forests Ministry. This time, the new project aimed at arresting the sewage outfalls and strengthening the sewer network. However, this too did not yield the desired results since
3666-479: The Cooum has been that due to the sand bar, the river mouth near the Napier Bridge gets blocked for most of the time, preventing the river water from draining into the sea. This has, eventually, made the river, in its 18-km-long stretch in the central district, a stinking cesspool. Tests of water samples reveals almost zero dissolved oxygen and substantial presence of faecal coliform bacteria , besides heavy metals such as lead , zinc and cadmium . The study of
3760-570: The Cooum river eco-restoration plan includes 11 maintenance ways of 9.6 km, 22 walkways of 24 km, and 17 cycle tracks of 19 km, in addition to 24 parks and riverfront vegetation. The total budget for the eco-restoration is ₹ 19,340 million. As part of the eco-restoration, in July 2018, the corporation began work on the 1.5-km nature trail between the College Road bridge in Nungambakkam and
3854-823: The Hotelstars Union. On 14 September 2009, the Hotelstars Union classification system was established at a conference in Prague. This system became effective in these countries in January 2010, with the exception of Hungary, Switzerland and the Netherlands, who have chosen later dates for the change. Later more countries have joined the HOTREC hotelstars system: Estonia (2011), Latvia (2011), Lithuania (2011), Luxembourg (2011), Malta (2012), Belgium (2013), Denmark (2013), Greece (2013), Liechtenstein (2015), Slovenia (2017), Azerbaijan (2020) and Georgia (2021). The European Hotelstars Union system
Taj Connemara - Misplaced Pages Continue
3948-553: The Imperial Hotel in 1854 under the proprietorship of Triplicane Rathinavelu Mudaliar, renamed Albany in 1886 when it was leased to two other Mudaliar brothers, and re-established as The Connemara in 1890, named after the then Madras Governor during 1881–1886, Robert Bourke , baron of Connemara , a rural area in County Galway in the west of Ireland, later becoming a Spencer's hotel. In 1891, Eugene Oakshott, owner of Spencer's, then
4042-501: The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM). Hotel rating Hotel ratings are often used to classify hotels according to their quality. From the initial purpose of informing travellers on basic facilities that can be expected, the objectives of hotel rating have expanded into a focus on the hotel experience as a whole. Today the terms 'grading', 'rating', and 'classification' are used to generally refer to
4136-733: The Munroe bridge in Chetput. Modelled on the San Antonio River Walk in the United States, the trail is being built in two phases at a cost of ₹ 98.2 million and includes a butterfly park in a 5000 square meter area. Given the raise in the maximum flood level in the past years being 70% to 5.94 meters, the boardwalk has been increased from 3.5 meters to more than 6 meters using corrosion-resistant steel. The boardwalk will measure 1.65 meters and will be covered with greenery, with
4230-587: The Philippines, the Department of Tourism has an accreditation system for hotels, apartment hotels and resorts. The current system which uses a "star system" which rates establishments from 1 to 5 stars was adopted in 2012. The rating of the aforementioned facilities are determined through a points system. Hotels, apartment hotels, and resorts are graded according to their service, facility quality and condition, and business practices. The Department of Tourism classifies
4324-532: The Tamil term coopam meaning 'well' or 'deep pit'. The word coovalan denotes a person who is well versed in the science of ground water, well water and stagnant water. Once this river was said to have its origin in Dharmapuri district , but now due to some earth table changes, it has shortened its course to Thiruvallur district . Ancient documents from the nearby temples states about one 'reaching salvation' on having
4418-645: The United Kingdom hotels are rated from one star to five stars. The RAC pulled out of accommodation grading in 2008 so the only grading schemes in operation are those operated by the AA (Automobile Association) and the national tourist boards: Visit England, Visit Wales, the Scottish Tourist Board and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. The schemes were all 'harmonised' to ensure consistency between
4512-491: The ancient port of Manarpha or Mylapore added to the river's strategic importance. Manarpha was frequented by Roman merchants who came here to buy Indian textiles, gemstones and spices. In return, India procured gold, silver, copper and high-quality wine from the Romans. Archaeologists have discovered ancient Roman wine jars, and Roman and Chinese coins, on the banks of the river. In the late eighteenth century, Pachaiyappa Mudaliar ,
4606-490: The ballroom to mark this. The Wednesday Club has been gathering in the hotel since 1975, taking "the same table at Verandah every week, and always have the lunch buffet." The Madras Book Club has been meeting in the hotel since the 2000s. In 2023, the hotel was recognized with "Top Hospitality Honors" at the 8th International Hospitality Day organised by the International Hospitality Council (IHC) London and
4700-477: The banks of the river were responsible for the pollution. The water has almost no dissolved oxygen, and instead there are traces of heavy metals like copper, besides sewage and sludge. Due to its narrowness and about 3,500 illegal hutments along its banks, it has not been recently desilted , which has closed it to river traffic. Per 2003 enumeration, about 9,000 families live along the river, in addition to 450 shops and commercial buildings. There are 700-odd points in
4794-480: The by-catch is a more important function—the breakwater will prevent silting and clogging of the river's mouth, allowing for structures such as a boat repair facility, a base for the Tamil Nadu Coastal Police, and sailing academy to be put up on the bank. By 2013, the estimate for the setting up of a sailing centre and marina to accommodate 24 yachts has increased to ₹ 450 million. A nature trail along
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#17328980217084888-543: The case in other areas (e.g. international accounting standards), hotel classification standards should result from a private and independent initiative. This may be the case of the World Hotel Rating (WHR) project, which notably aims to set international classification standards and rating criteria along the lines of a world star-rating system. It will also establish an information platform on the hotel industry that will be multilingual and multicultural. WHR intends to play
4982-524: The city of Chennai. Thereafter, the flow of water in the river is much reduced. Three ancient Shiva temples are located at the source of the river. The first is Tiruvirkolam , in Cooum village, and the other is at Ilambaiyankottur. The third is Thiruverkadu Shiva temple. Koyambedu temple is also in its banks. These temples have been featured in the Thevaram sung by the Saivite saint Thirugnana Sambandar . There
5076-560: The city's dream projects is to clean up this river on or before 2020. The initiative has been taken up by the Central and State governments to clean up the river and rediscover the pleasures of traditional boat racing. The Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT) has asked the Chennai Corporation to chalk out an action plan to remove construction debris dumped on the banks of the river. The Water Resources Department (WRD) started flushing
5170-491: The criteria used into seven dimensions or "business area" namely: Arrival & Departure, Public Areas, Bedrooms, Food & Beverage, Lounge Area, Kitchen Area, Amenities, and Business Practices, all common to the three categories except Kitchen and Lounge Area which is only applicable to apartment hotels. 1,000 points is the maximum number of points an establishment can attain. The HOTREC (Hotels, Restaurants & Cafés in Europe)
5264-403: The first independent accommodation classification systems in the world to incorporate a consumer 'voice'. Their website also shows a Travellers' Rating which is presented in parallel to the independent Star Rating and is an aggregate of past guest ratings and reviews from more than 100 websites in 45 different languages. The rating is shown as a 10 point score. Weighting applies to the popularity of
5358-489: The first time in the state, when M. Karunanidhi was PWD minister. The project comprised installation of a regulator and a sand pump at the river mouth, protecting the sides of the river with cement concrete slabs from the Chetput bridge to the Napier Bridge, provision of a walkway on either side of the river, removal of encroachments on the banks of the river and, more importantly, the diversion of sewage. In addition, seven boat jetties were built. In February 1973, when Karunanidhi
5452-469: The hotel for a 100-year lease from the Spencer's Group. The hotel saw two renovations in 1990 and 1995. The hotel was again renovated in 2004 and 2005, when the hotel was re-designed with the launch of the loud Distil bar and chic pan Asian restaurant Hip Asia, It is also when 65 rooms in the hotel were renovated. In 2008, historian S. Muthiah wrote a book on the heritage of the hotel, A Tradition of Madras that
5546-512: The hotel stars as the main criteria in hotel selection. This implementation influenced the creation of a common European Hotelstars rating system that started in 2010 (see below). In France, the rating is defined by the public tourist board ( Atout France ) using a four-star system (plus "L" for Luxus), which has changed to a five-star system from 2009 on. In South Africa, the Tourist Grading Council of South Africa has strict rules for
5640-479: The hotel's original features, including wooden carvings sourced from the 16th and 17th century temples of Mahabalipuram. Given its centuries-old background, the hotel boasts some historical snippets: Taj Connemara is located on the eastern banks of River Cooum on Binny Road, off Anna Salai , abutting the Spencer Plaza , one of the most prominent landmarks of Chennai. Built on a 4.2-acre land, Taj Connemara has
5734-457: The implementation of various projects. In 2010, the Tamil Nadu government signed an MoU with Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SEC), a Singapore agency for the restoration project. The agency prepared a preliminary report after discussions with various stake holders of the project including Chennai Corporation, municipal administrations, Metrowater, Pollution Control Board, Slum Clearance Board and
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#17328980217085828-411: The late 1970s, this was reduced to 21 species. However, on date, there are no fish in the river, owing to highly toxic pollutants found in the river water. The river is narrow, placid, slow and meandering. The river is primarily fed by discharge from tank and water bodies and has seen a steady drop in freshwater over the years, a primary reason for its present-day condition. However, the core problem of
5922-596: The membership in The Leading Hotels of the World to document regular inspection on an additional level. This organization was formed in 1928 and reorganized in 1971, introducing a worldwide inspection service. In Australia, the industry accommodation rating scheme and Star Rating trademarks, known as Star Ratings Australia, are owned by the Australian Tourism Industry Council. A Star Rating represents
6016-606: The nature trail which would play a role in erosion management. The nature trail would be based on an "elevated boardwalk" model with "uncompressed natural wood" and "fibre reinforced plastic". The entry and exit would be on College Road near the DPI complex. Apart from the parking facilities on the DPI premises, a stretch along the road between the entry point and the College Road Bridge would be demarcated for additional parking. Five points located at 200-metre (660 ft) intervals along
6110-480: The need for clean waterways. In 2011, the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association planned to build a marina at the mouth of the Cooum river along the southern bank, where yachts and pleasure boats could dock. The ₹ 300-million project involves first building a breakwater in the sea so that the waters at the marina are placid and the boats do not keep bobbing up and down with the incursion of waves. However,
6204-457: The next holiday resort. When shopping for an online accommodation product, more than half of European consumers said that they are influenced by online customer reviews and online ratings, while just one-fifth of consumers see themselves as insusceptible to such reviews and ratings. Two in five European consumers also regard star ratings as an influencing factor when booking hotel rooms, whereas for about one in three consumers, star ratings don’t play
6298-590: The northernmost boundary of the Marina Beach . The delta also marks the southern boundary of the Port of Chennai . The width of the river course varies all along from 35 to 150 metres (115 to 492 ft), which includes the area occupied by the slums. The major islet in the course of the river is the Island Grounds in Chennai less than a kilometre from the mouth. The river splits into two near Chinthadripet and encircles
6392-407: The primary factor in booking a hotel, but now, modern consumers also rely on the opinions of previous guests as expressed in online reviews . These reviews, based on personal experiences, have become increasingly important for other travellers when considering where to stay. "In today’s world, consumers rely heavily on online information when making purchasing decisions, be it for a new smartphone or
6486-673: The project did not cover Tiruvallur district, which accounts for 54 kilometres (34 mi) of the river stretch. After the DMK took charge again in May 2006, the eco-restoration of the Cooum again came to the fore. To facilitate the implementation of the project, the Chennai River Authority, headed by the Deputy Chief Minister, was formed in December 2009 to clean up the entire stretch of the river within 10 years. This aimed at coordinating
6580-438: The public works department. There is currently the World Bank–funded Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water Bodies Restoration and Management Project to clean up the river, under which the upper reaches of the river are proposed to be covered. The World Bank has approved ₹ 224.1 million for the Cooum restoration project towards development of its irrigation potential. Improving the irrigation efficiency of Cooum upstream
6674-435: The quality and condition of guest facilities which is determined by 200 criteria. Star Ratings are awarded to hotels, motels, serviced apartments, self-catering, hosted accommodation and caravan-holiday parks. The scheme uses physical visits, reviews and mystery guest stays to make their accreditation on the accommodation's ratings. Australia's star ratings have been operating since the 1950s as both an accreditation as well as
6768-572: The records available with the state public department, efforts to restore the waterway first began back in 1872 under the British. The earliest recorded proposal was mooted in 1890. After Independence, the then chief minister C. N. Annadurai launched a Cooum Improvement Scheme at a cost of ₹ 19 million in September 1967, six months after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party came to power for
6862-527: The renowned philanthropist, bathed in this river before offering prayers at the Komaleeswarar Temple in Komaleeswaranpet. Cooum River and the nearby Elambore River (or North River), which flows into the Cooum at its mouth, were running very close to each other near the former Central Jail area opposite Chennai Central . During floods, both the watercourses inundated the whole area. In the 1700s,
6956-418: The river and passes underneath the neighbourhoods of Chintadripet to reach the underground station at the new secretariat on Anna Salai . The tunnels for the metro rail are to be made without cutting open the ground, with giant machines boring the tunnels as the river flows above. Custom-made tunnel boring machines costing ₹ 600 million each have been imported from Germany for the purpose. Key aspects of
7050-418: The river bank where sewage flows straight into the river. There are 127 identified sewage outfalls into the river, out of which 85 are in use. Nearly 30 per cent of the estimated 55 million litres (15,000,000 US gal) of untreated sewage being let into the waterways of Chennai daily, including by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, gets into the Cooum river. About 60 per cent of
7144-605: The river connecting Golden George Nagar in Mogappair with Nerkundram is being constructed by the state highways department at a cost of ₹ 113 million. Work started in August 2010 and is expected to be completed by March 2013. The bridge with 10 spans measures about 110 metres (360 ft) long and nearly 24 metres (79 ft) wide, accommodating six-lane traffic, with space provisions for bicycles and pedestrians. According to scientists, around 1950, Cooum had 49 species of fish, and by
7238-436: The river every day. Fortunately, there is another 42 km of this river which is still not polluted (as of the year 2015), which can be used to transport the water into Chennai and to store drinking water for Chennai's needs. There is a huge amount of sand deposits in the banks of the unpolluted part of the Cooum river that could rejuvenate the ground water level of numerous villages in the banks of this river. According to
7332-882: The river has been proposed for which a draft ecological plan has been prepared by the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure and Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL). The project is planned from College Road bridge to Chetpet bridge by the Chennai River Restoration Trust in view of the biological diversity of the area which was undisturbed for decades. According to the draft ecological plan, floral species such as Indian almond , black wattle , sacred fig , madras thorn , Indian mulberry , neem , banyan , magizham , Indian cork tree , punnai , sirukkambil , karumugai , shenbagam , bayur tree , kadamba , pavazha malli , vetiver grass, palmarosa , agave , lemon grass and subabul would be part of species along
7426-464: The river is 19,500 cubic metres per second (690,000 cu ft/s), and the anticipated flood discharge is around 22,000 cubic metres per second (780,000 cu ft/s). Once a fishing river, it has borne the brunt of the city's unplanned developmental explosion. The Kesavaram dam diverts the river into the Chembarambakkam Lake from which water is used for the supply of drinking water to
7520-451: The river was undertaken as part of a World Bank -funded project and shows that it is 80 per cent more polluted than treated sewer. Fish were able to survive in the water for only 3 to 5 hours even after samples were diluted. There are traces of heavy metals like copper and pesticides like endosulphan and lindane in it. Public Works Department sources said government agencies like Chennai Corporation and business units and retail outlets on
7614-495: The river, formation of a sand bar at the mouth of the river, discharge of untreated sewage and industrial effluents, and encroachment along the banks, the river, especially downstream, has been highly polluted. In 2018 alone, about 21,665 tonnes of waste were removed from the river. The Cooum was earlier known as the Triplicane river. The name of Cooum appears to be derived from Tamil literature. The name may have been derived from
7708-456: The room and offering halal restaurant recommendations; it is divided into 4 tiers (bronze, silver, gold and platinum). Archipelago Hotels, Indonesia's biggest hospitality firm, is a prominent member of the Salam Standard system. The advancement of technology and internet connectivity has caused shifts in the way hotel guests book their accommodations. In the past, official hotel ratings were
7802-632: The same concept, that is, to categorize hotels. There is a wide variety of rating schemes used by different organizations around the world. Many have a system involving stars , with a greater number of stars indicating greater luxury. Forbes Travel Guide , formerly Mobil Travel Guide , launched its star rating system in 1958. The AAA and their affiliated bodies use diamonds instead of stars to express hotel and restaurant rating levels. Food services, entertainment, view, room variations such as size and additional amenities, spas and fitness centers, ease of access and location may be considered in establishing
7896-425: The schemes. This applies to all accommodation types apart from self-catering that the AA started offering in 2009. The AA criteria are available on its website. In addition to the usual black stars (ranging from one (the lowest) to five (the highest), the AA awards red stars to the highest-rated, which are deemed 'Inspectors' Choice'. Each of the national tourist boards have grading explanations on their web sites. In
7990-526: The source site and the date of the last guest review. The William Angliss Institute in Melbourne developed an independent benchmarking framework to show if a property has met or exceeded guest expectations. On 28 February 2017, Michael Reed, CEO of Australian Motoring Services, advised clients of the closure of Star Ratings Australia brand and asked to remove star rating and automobile club logos from their accommodation and promotional information by June 2017. It
8084-495: The trail have been selected for erecting break-out areas including one for a canopy walk. The facility has been planned without electrical fittings and has been designed as a "day trail". It is proposed that Chennai Metro rails are to be built about 30 metres (98 ft) under the bed of the river. The line that comes from the Madras High Court area reaches the metro's Central station in front of Ripon Building , crosses
8178-421: The two rivers were linked by a cut to equalise the floods in both the rivers and a bridge was constructed between these rivers in 1710 across the cut. Polluted part of the Cooum is presently spoiled by filth and pollution, and the water quality has considered to be highly toxic and completely non-potable. The 2004 tsunami cleaned the mouth of the river; however, the river returned to its usual polluted self within
8272-464: The untreated sewage gets into the Buckingham Canal and the Adyar River takes the rest. In 2010, about 340 sewage outfalls into the waterways were identified. Of them, more than 130 sewage outfalls were in the Cooum River and a majority of them were between Aminjikarai and Nungambakkam. In some of the spots in areas such as Maduravoyal , more than 7 tonnes of municipal solid waste is being dumped in
8366-719: The urban part of the river. These are the Napier Bridge, the Wallajah Bridge, the Periamet Bridge, the Chintradripet Bridge or the St Andrew's Bridge, Harris Bridge, Commander-in-Chief Road Bridge, College Road Bridge, Spur Tank Bridge and the Aminjikarai Bridge. Apart from these there are several smaller bridges built across the river. The Corporation of Chennai maintains about 13 of these bridges. A new bridge across
8460-527: The waterways in the city, including 105 locations in the Cooum river. Others include 49 points in Adyar river and 183 locations in the Buckingham Canal. A visitor centre near the mouth of the river on the Marina Beach , similar to the Marina Barrage Visitor Centre in Singapore and San Antonio Visitor Center in the United States, has been planned as part of an initiative to create awareness of
8554-451: Was chief minister, he launched a pleasure boat service at a cost of ₹ 22 million, and roving boats, powered boats and paddle boats were made available at a nominal charge. However, the efforts went futile when the sand pump developed snags. Incidentally, the jetties built for the purpose still dot the riverfront. In 1996, when the DMK returned to power, the government made another bid—this time covering all important watercourses, including
8648-560: Was designed by architect Geoffrey Bawa in 1974, and the work was completed in 1977. The deluxe wing of the hotel was destroyed almost completely in the "Friday the Thirteenth" fire in February 1981, which broke out in the Spencer's building. However, the main building of the hotel remained unharmed because of the high-rise wall in between the two buildings. In 1984, the Taj Group of Hotels acquired
8742-484: Was not awarded due to at least one obligatory requirement being left out. For hotels with three to five stars, the Hotelstars Union will use "mystery guests" to check the service quality regularly. There is so far no international classification which has been adopted. There have been attempts at unifying the classification system so that it becomes an internationally recognized and a reliable standard, but they have all failed. It has been considered that, as it has been
8836-472: Was said that competition from online travel agencies such as TripAdvisor and their customer rating system led to its demise. The brand was then transferred to the Australian Tourism Industry Council. In early 2019, Star Ratings were rebranded under the council's "Quality Tourism" Accreditation Program. Star Ratings in Australia stand for independently reviewed quality standards and are defined as such: In
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