With no proper security and surveillance arrangements in place, the tourists’ amenities on the Butt Road beach near West Hill has become a haven for miscreants and anti-social elements.
Two cafeterias, built by the Tourism Department spending lakhs of rupees as part of a beautification project, beckon drug addicts and beggars to enjoy a safe hideout, be it day or night. The tiled shelters for visitors share a similar fate as most of the time they have intoxicated migrant labourers and inter-State lorry drivers taking a nap under their roofs.
Though the residents have been complaining about the anti-social elements disturbing their peace, none seems to bother. Streetlights are yet to be put up in the area despite floating tenders earlier.
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“Now, families visiting the beach to enjoy sunset are forced to leave early as there are no streetlights or guards around,” K.V. Manoj, a resident in the area, says. He adds that a pool constructed on the beachside for tourists is now being used as a waste dump.
Residents say the issue can easily be settled by appointing a few security guards to the spot. All the other beaches in Kozhikode have guards appointed by the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), they point out.
“The only relief for the sightseers is the occasional patrolling by police officials from nearby stations. They too are not keen on examining the cafeterias or locations away from the main road as it is a routine exercise,” complains Ramesh Vijayan, another resident. He also underlines the need to have a proper mechanism to prevent the entry of miscreants to the area.
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Residents also point out that proper maintenance of the existing facilities and installation of a few streetlights can certainly bring about a lot of improvement. If that can be arranged, the rush on the Kozhikode beach can be reduced to a great extent, they observe.