The newly opened welcome gates of the Kozhikode Corporation is drawing criticism from the public and opposition parties with respect to the expense incurred and their positioning.
It was on Monday and Tuesday that the two gates, one at Elathur and another at Feroke (the two ends of the corporation), were opened. However, the expense incurred, ₹7.22 lakh, has raised many eye brows. “I just don’t understand how it cost this much for the two gates that do not really serve the purpose,” said P.M. Niyas, Congress councillor.
The two gates are positioned on one side of the road with a plaque welcoming visitors to Kozhikode city.
“A gate should be across the road. It should have seating arrangements next to it. This small structure in no way resembles a gate,” Mr. Niyas said.
The Corporation could have instead planned a structure that would display the history of the city and what it stood for, he added.
Janata Dal (U) councillor P. Kishenchand pointed out that the project to construct welcome gates was passed around eight years ago. “The plan was to construct gates at Meenchanda and Puthiyangadi. But the Corporation got bigger later and hence they were relocated to Elathur and Feroke, the new borders of the city,” he said adding that a gate across the road was planned initially.
However, Town Planning Standing Committee Chairman of the Corporation M.C. Anil Kumar brushed away the allegation on grounds that the estimated amount for the gates were sanctioned by the Engineering wing and was cross-checked by experts. “We had chosen the party that quoted the least expense. Even those who level the allegations know these facts,” he said.
As for the size of the gate, Mr. Anil Kumar said that a gate that spreads across the street would cost crores, which the Corporation could not afford and that it would have to be removed during road widening.
“The gate is a symbol. It is necessary for a city with the kind of historical importance as Kozhikode. It is important in a tourism perspective,” he added.
