KOCHI: Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium at Kaloor, Marine Drive, Queen’s Walkway and the open walkways near the Chilavannoor bund are popular destinations for joggers in the city, especially post-Covid. Youngsters, as well as the elderly, prefer to work out in the open in groups, and rarely as singles. However, it is hard to find a well-maintained/monitored space to work out in the open.
Though the JLN Stadium premises earlier had restrictions on the entry and exit of vehicles, it is no longer there, putting the lives 0f joggers at risk. For the safety of the joggers, the vehicular movement had been restricted by the police including the speed of vehicles earlier, said regular joggers. Now, none of these is in place. Adding to that, during the dark hours, there is also the nuisance of eve-teasers, which prevents women from coming here alone.
Thadhagath P R, a boxer and a student of St Alberts College said though people prefer to practise in the open-air gyms, such facilities are very rare in the city. “A lot of girls from our age group come in groups to jog outside. But we do not have such properly monitored jogging spots in our city, like other metros. They use the roadsides which, at times, is risky,” he said.
Roadside jogging unsafe
The elderly people, scared of contracting Covid, prefer to drop their workouts than try their luck on the roadside walks, as vehicular movement can be dangerous. Dr Reshmi Menon, a family medicine expert at Lourdes Hospital, advises her patients to work out regularly, especially post-Covid. But most of them, especially elderly people, are scared to go out to work out, fearing Covid.
“They are restricting themselves from going out and eventually stop working out at all. So, I advise them not to stop the workouts. At least, continue the sessions at their houses. Since the scare is coming down now, people should try walking in safe areas,” she said.
Marine Drive walkway, if properly maintained, can be converted into an excellent joggers’ park, said Kannan Mohandas founder of Kochi Next, a popular forum for Kochiites to interact on various social media platforms.
“Like Marine Drive, the walkway at Willingdon Island can also be converted into a joggers’ park as they do not have the risk of vehicles. People are used to encroaching pedestrian paths and such options would not be viable in cities like Kochi. If such passages are constructed along roadsides, either heavy fines should be charged or pillars or restrictions should be placed, preventing the two-wheelers from parking on them,” he said.
Free spaces, not skyscrapers
Kochi Next also alleged laxity on the part of the authorities in developing open spaces as the city grows. They suggested developing play areas as well as turfs which will ensure cleaner air and a healthy lifestyle for the city dwellers, instead of selling the plots to real estate players. Officials at Kochi corporation confirmed that they are considering improvement of the public spaces, as announced in the recent budget.
This is apart from a state government project to extend the Marine Drive to Cheranalloor, aiming to provide a safe walkway for the joggers in the city. “All these improved public spaces, including beaches and parks, will have improved facilities like open gyms and other facilities. The pedestrian passages in the city are already occupied by two-wheelers and street vendors, so creating more passages on the roadsides would not be a solution. Creating healthy public spaces and preventing vehicular traffic are considered in developing the existing areas,” the official said.
Traffc woes
As the opn spaces are no well maintained some opt for walking on roadsides. However, traffic movement is a threat, say many.