KOCHI: The Marine Drive walkway is thronged by hundreds of people every day, including students, women and the elderly. It also has myriad vendors who pass by or set up temporary shacks and sell ice creams or toys. The tourist boat agents are also a common sight on the walkway, inviting or sometimes tailing visitors offering them one or two-hour cruises on the boats.
The safety of visitors at Marine Drive has been a cause of concern for a long time now. Regulars claim the area is a haven for anti-social elements. Eve-teasing remains an unsolved issue. But what is even more frightening is that men too are scared to be at Marine Drive alone after 9pm. A woman jogger, who had been using the walkway for over a decade now, still refuses to believe her 70-year-old husband was sexually violated there.
Stalking zone
Meera (name changed), a college student, visited Marine drive only twice. Both times, she claims to have been stalked by the same person. “When I came here first, I didn’t know the place properly. So I asked for directions from people I saw there. I felt the man watching me the whole time. He followed me for some time, sitting on benches and leaning on trees. The second time I went there, I saw the same guy loitering and tailing me wherever I go,” she says.
Boat agents hover
Private tourist boats under the Tourism Boat Association are parked at Marine Drive, but they haven’t had a registration counter for years. There is no system to ensure the safety of travellers or to check if boats are in good condition. “In the evenings, the place gets crowded and the boat agents tail visitors to canvas them. People, even kids get on these boats without registering their names. In case of accidents, no one would know how many were on board,” says activist Ranjit Thampy.
CCTVs bust
When Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML) gave the walkway under the D7.85 crore project that aimed to improve open spaces in Kochi, CCTV cameras and streetlights were also installed. “But none of the surveillance cameras are functioning now. There have been instances of public drinking and nuisance. Drug peddlers and addicts are also seen there under questionable circumstances. A few years back, one man was murdered at Abdul Kalam Marg. When there are no cameras, how can we expect such anti-social activities to end?” asks Ranjit. He added that the security personnel that GCDA once posted are now nowhere to be found.
Unhygienic food stalls
Food stalls especially cut fruit vendors lined up on the sides of Marine Drive walkway are a commons site. The corporation or GCDA has taken no effort to ensure the quality of food vendors. “No one is there to monitor such vendors. The makeshift set-up is unhygienic and often filthy. They don’t take any precautions while packing the items. They don’t even wear gloves,” says a visitor.
No police intervention
A lack of 24X7 police aid posts and patrolling in the area is another concern. The majority of visitors opine that if patrolling is beefed up, anti-social elements will stay away. In 2019 the Division Bench of Kerala High Court had mandated round-the-clock police aid post be made operational at Marine Drive, with fully functional CCTV cameras. The statement came after the Public Interest Litigation filed by social activist Ranjit. “When we raised the issue, even the police officials claimed that anti-social elements are roaming freely in Marine Drive. The only aid post which they set up following the court order, is now locked and in a dilapidated condition. During the lockdowns, they didn’t maintain it. Greater Cochin Development Authority is responsible for building fully-functional aid posts in the area,” said Ranjit. According to Deputy Commissioner Kuriakose VU, patrolling is active around the city, especially in busy areas.