At a time when Kochi is crying for adequate open spaces, and most of the available grounds and other open areas are either weed-infested or encroached upon, the demand is rife that civic agencies and others go the extra mile in ensuring their optimal upkeep.
Residents of Fort Kochi have been up in arms for years, demanding tidying up of Veli Ground, the historic Parade Ground and other open spaces in the area, which once teemed with youth and teenaged children running around, or playing anything from cricket to football. Such grounds were also a hub for elderly people to converge, unwind and take a stroll.
Sadly, little has been done to improve or augment open spaces in the city, barring efforts by agencies like Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) to renovate Marine Drive owned by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and Vasco Da Gama Square in Fort Kochi. The GCDA had attracted widespread criticism after structures were erected at the historic Rajendra Maidan to host a laser show, during the chairmanship of N. Venugopal.
Among those who have been advocating the need to hew out more open spaces in the city is former Mayor K.J. Sohan. “This is because they are places where children and youth from different communities get to interact with one another, at a time when vested interests are driving a wedge between communities,” he said.
A meeting convened recently by Ernakulam Vikasana Samity expressed concern at open spaces either falling into wrong hands or being developed to rehabilitate vendors and others who had encroached into public spaces. “An apt example is the area near Ambedkar Stadium, which is being developed to relocate vendors who did not even have licence and registration. Popular open spaces which were fully or partly converted into rehabilitation zones or pay-and-park lots include the Annie Besant Park at Park Avenue Road and DH Ground,” said K.S. Dileep Kumar, president of the samity.
The silver lining is the assurance by Chandran Pillai, who assumed charge as Chairman of GCDA a month ago, that more open spaces will be created in the city, and the existing ones improved.
