If all goes well, the most popular green lungs of Kochi City, the Subhash Bose Park will bid goodbye to its days of rusted statues and weeded lawns. A Kochi-based organisation has come up with a proposal to renovate and maintain the park, that too at zero cost to the Corporation.
The proposal was put forward by Kochi-based organisation, GDP Kochi. Under the proposal, a Singapore-based designer has been roped in for a new design for the park. The cost of the re-designing and the renovation will be borne by the organisation, which will then look to recover its cost by putting up advertisements and hoarding at the park for a fixed period of time. The maintenance of the park will also be undertaken by the organisation.
“The design has been submitted to the members of the steering committee. The design looks at renovating Subhash Park in a traditional style without disturbing its essential character. None of the trees will be cut and no high rise construction will be taken up that will hinder the view of the backwaters from the park. The design basically looks at beautification of the park, pruning of the trees, creating walkways, construction of small structures like fountains and statues. Provision for toilets and a small cafe is also proposed,” said sources from the Corporation.
The Corporation had earlier in the year decided to renovate the 39 parks maintained by it in a phased manner and also to pool in private participation for the renovation of the Subhash Bose Park and the Nehru Children’s Park in Fort Kochi.
“The Kochi-based GDP has submitted its proposal for the renovation and maintenance of the park. The proposal will now have to be put before the council before it is finalised and work begins,” said Mayor Tony Chammany.