Concern over project around Parade Ground in Fort Kochi

Sports and heritage enthusiasts are up in arms against a proposal by Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) to hew out a walkway having benches around the historic Parade Ground in Fort Kochi.

Sports and heritage enthusiasts are up in arms against a proposal by Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) to hew out a walkway having benches around the historic Parade Ground in Fort Kochi.

They came out in the open, as an excavator was deployed to level the space earmarked on the ground for the project, stating that it would further choke the space where children, youth and others practised football, cricket and other sports events.

Leading them was Rufus D’Souza, 93, who played hockey and football with equal felicity for Kerala. He has since been coaching children and youth on the ground for many decades. “Parade Ground is even now one of the best grounds in India, where a host of matches, including those of Ranji Trophy, were played. Even now, players practise football, cricket, soft ball and hockey here, from dawn till night. Readying civic amenities will eat into the space and charm of the historic ground.”

Government agencies must instead focus attention on repairing lights around the ground, since it turned a haven for tipplers after dusk. The Veli Ground in Fort Kochi too needed urgent improvement, said Mr. D’Souza.

In a memorandum submitted to the District Collector, Fort-Kochi-based Organisation for Preservation of Heritage and Environmental Resources (OPHER) cited how the work that CSML kickstarted a few days ago to lay paver blocks would occupy a sizeable part of the ground. “This lopsided development would in turn lessen the space available for children and others who play different sports,” said OPHER convener Stephen Robert.

Former Mayor K.J. Sohan, a heritage enthusiast, spoke of how construction of a paved parking area would further lessen the extent of open spaces in the heritage zone. “It must be remembered that the ground dated back to the Portuguese, Dutch and the English era when it was used as a parade ground for soldiers. Already, the unscientific drainage work that was done prior to FIFA Under-17 event has resulted in the ground and the adjacent church premises getting inundated when there is high tide during the rains. The CSML funds could well be used alternatively to tidy the weed-infested parts of Maharaja’s College Ground and Ambedkar Stadium.”

Responding to the concerns, CSML sources said they would consult stakeholders once again, before going ahead with the work. “No project that will affect the ground will be taken ahead,” they added.