KOCHI: The desire to do something for society has got the students of Holy Crescent College of Architecture at Aluva on an experimental venture, which they term as a first of its kind. The venture, Kalagram, has been drawn up as an initiative that will see the amalgamation of art, architecture, film, photography and literature, thereby giving shape to a new Aluva town.
"The entire project is being undertaken with the permission and help of all stakeholders," said Parthan Suresh, fifth-year B Arch student. According to him, the college has got the permission of the Aluva Municipality and the Railways.
"We have begun beautifying the Aluva Railway Station. The students and volunteers are engaged in turning the drab walls of the station into something beautiful and pleasing to the eye," he said.
The students have also taken it upon themselves to scrub the walls of the KSRTC bus station facing the Railway Station. "We had carried out a beautification drive here last year. But, after the floods, the paintings faded away and the paint started to peel off. So, we have decided to restore the wall paintings," he said.
"Besides, we have also set up benches and placed reflective mirrors to help people," he added.
According to Visakh Kurien, faculty and convener of Kalagram, the beautification work being carried out at the station is not the usual stuff. "We are celebrating the work. A live DJ has been organised to provide entertainment to the passengers," he said. According to him, whatever is being created is temporary.
"The venture is dedicated to merging creativity, colours, ideas and people to the vibrancy of Aluva," he said. "We have developed the programme as a public event. The aim is to include the people of Aluva in the mission to make their town waste free. We have planned an event at Municipal Park from March 28 to 30," he said.
According to Parthan Suresh, floods have completely damaged the Municipal Park. "The restoration work has been entrusted to a company. However, it is a well-known fact that restoration works carried out by the government machinery will have a lot of limitations. We hope to get over that by installing benches and sculptures and permission has been obtained for the same," he said. So, the event being organised is a hands-on workshop, he added.