KOCHI: Even as urbanisation gobbles up open spaces in the district, Thrikkakara is seeing a movement to develop revenue puramboke land into a park. The Public Interest Protection Council is spearheading the movement. The council will present the recommendations on Thursday at Thrikkakara.
According to M P Sukumaran Nair, a member of Public Interest Protection Council, the movement wants the puramboke revenue land to be used to create open spaces. “The Thrikkakara municipality is planning to build a shopping complex on the land.
What we need is parks or open spaces for the public to spend leisure time. However, the officials don’t seem to understand the importance,” he said. He alleged that the municipality already has many shopping complexes and commercial buildings. “And these are not being managed properly. Now they want to construct another one,” he said.
C R Neelakandan, a member of the council, said that the demand for an open space had been made several times. “In January 2018, leaders and prominent figures from the social, cultural, artistic, and educational fields had jointly submitted a petition to the then minister for revenue, demanding the conversion of the around 4-acre revenue puramboke land near the Collectorate, between the Cooperative Hospital and the bus stand, into an open park for the public,” he added.
“The former revenue minister even sanctioned the use of the 4-acre puramboke land near the Collectorate as a public space. Late P T Thomas, who was Thrikkakara MLA at the time, helped a lot to get the sanction. Following the approval, at a public meeting, the then municipal chairperson assured necessary follow-up action. However, that promise was not fulfilled,” said Sukumaran.
However, Rashid Ullampilly, chairperson of Thrikkakara municipality, rubbished the allegations. “The master plan that has been arrived at for the land amounting to around 4 acres is a wholesome one. It not only includes the construction of a bus stop plus shopping complex, but the plan also includes the provision of an open space for the public,” he said.