THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government secretariat, the nerve centre of Kerala’s administration, wore a visibly more relaxed and accessible look on Wednesday, with the change of guard in power reflecting not just in the corridors of governance but also at its guarded entry points.
Visitors began trickling into ministers’ offices much before the officially designated public interaction hours of 3 pm to 5 pm, with security personnel appearing noticeably less rigid, though mandatory security checks continued without exception.
The most striking change was at the secretariat’s North Gate — popularly known as the “protest gate” — which had largely remained shut over the past several years due to frequent protests and security concerns.
The gate remained open for the second consecutive day, with security staff allowing members of the public to enter after routine checks. The reopening of the gate came shortly after the UDF government assumed office, reportedly following insistence from pro-Congress secretariat employees’ organisations.
“Even though the North Gate is not a designated public entry point as of now, we allowed entry to a few visitors after mandatory security checks. Most of them had prior appointments or references from officials,” said Sirajudeen A S, chief security officer of the Secretariat.
Officials, however, clarified that the gate would be shut and additional security measures enforced whenever protests or marches are held towards the secretariat. The reopening assumes significance as the gate leads directly to the North Block, which houses the chief minister’s grievance redressal cell — a section frequented daily by large numbers of petitioners from across the state.
“More than the reopening of the gate, it is the overall atmosphere inside the Secretariat that has changed. Even the approach of the security personnel towards the public feels different now,” said M S Ershad, president of the pro-UDF Kerala Secretariat Association.
Pro-Left service organisations, however, disputed claims that the North Gate had remained permanently closed throughout the tenure of the previous LDF governments.
“There were restrictions during the Covid period. In 2023 too, the gate was opened briefly. But the near-continuous protests and marches led to it being shut again soon after,” said Deepu S S, general secretary of the Kerala Secretariat Employees Association (KSEA).
Meanwhile, the Cantonment Gate — the secretariat’s main public entrance — witnessed hectic activity through the day. Security personnel were busy recording visitor details, while those carrying bags and umbrellas had to undergo scanning before being allowed in.