The time is around 7.30 p.m. on a weekday. Much of the Kowdiar park is drowned in darkness, with only the yellow rays from a high mast light at the junction seeping in, and giving at least a sense of the park to the few still remaining there. Among the regular visitors here are a group of more than 30 senior citizens who meet up regularly, sharing events from their daily lives and debating intensely on the happenings.
Only two from the gang remain there, at this time. The lack of lights inside prevent them from staying for just that little while more, which they always yearn for.
“We have been coming to this park in the evenings for years. A few years back, they carried out renovation works here, with green lawns, seating arrangements and lighting. It was good for some years after that. But, now it seems to be slowly falling into disuse.
It all began when a statue was installed here, reducing some of the space which was available to us. The street lights have not been working for some time. The security staff, who used to be there, are no longer there. So, people really don’t feel that safe at night,” says Sugunan, a resident of Kuravankonam.
But the situation is different at another park, just a km away, at Vellayambalam. The Accamma Cherian Park, has for long been neglected.
Last year, the city Corporation with the help of the Christ Nagar Group of Schools renovated the park. Visitors have begun streaming in, during the evenings, some for that island of tranquillity amid the rush of the city, and some others to listen to the FM radio.
The Pattom Thanu Pillai park at Kuravankonam is another one that had a change in fortune. For years, it had remained in disuse and locked, inaccessible to the public.
Last year, the civic body spruced up the park with landscaping, railings and a revolving gate.
Limited space
Although there is only limited space, with an anganwadi building occupying part of the space, the residents in the area are happy with what they have.
The periphery of the Napier Museum might be the most preferred space for morning and evening walkers in the city, but for those seeking a space to relax near the homes, the parks dotting the city are the first choice. The city Corporation has under its control 26 big and small parks, spread out all across the city. In addition are the traffic islands, some of which have been provided with attractive landscaping. While maintenance works in some of these parks are directly done by the Corporation, some have been handed over to private parties, who carry out the maintenance for a fixed period under their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.
Even though quite a few parks have undergone renovation and maintenance work in the past couple of years, some others have not seen any work being done in the past decade at least, like the Ulloor memorial park, attached to the Mahakavi Ulloor Memorial Library and Research Centre, near DPI junction.
“We have enough space and seating arrangements here. But some more amenities and regular upkeep would make it a better park.
Now, children don’t come here much because the slide and the swing have fallen into disuse. Also, it would be good to have a radio, like that at the museum grounds, in all such parks. It would attract more people,” says Sasikumar, a resident of the area.
The renovation works in parks often also focus on constructing new structures, be it statues or buildings, reducing the open space available for the public. Many park regulars the city Corporation interacted to, shared this sentiment. But, according to city Corporation Mayor V.K.Prashanth, there has to be a balance, with some space set aside to keeping alive the memories of those gone by, as Thiruvananthapuram also happens to have a tag of the ‘city of statues’.
According to Palayam Rajan, Chairman of the city Corporation’s Town Planning Standing Committee, which has the responsibility of overseeing the upkeep of parks, one of the major plans to create more public spaces to relax, is to have elders’ corners in various locations.
“At the elders’ corners, amenities including comfortable seating with roofs will be provided, for elders to gather during the evenings. Councillors of various wards were asked to suggest locations for these. Around nine locations have been suggested till now. We have recently renovated the EMS park in front of the assembly, the AKG park in Pottakkuzhy, and the parks in Pettah, Vellayambalam and Asan Square. Some works have already been taken up at Kowdiar. The construction of a fresh-up centre has been completed at Chithira Thirunal park, where other renovation works were completed a couple of years back. The Bhagat Singh Park, currently being maintained by Lion’s Club, will be taken back and maintenance work will be completed,” says Mr.Rajan.
The Gandhi Park also will get a facelift as part of the work on the pedestrian underpass at East Fort, which would pass through the park.
“As part of the Smart City project, we have set aside more than ₹10 crore for maintenance work on parks and for the creation of new amenities,” says the Mayor.
Unaddressed
One issue that remains unaddressed is to make these spaces more women-friendly, as hardly any woman can be seen in most of these parks by late evening, unlike the case in many major cities. Better lighting and security could be a starting point.
