THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Manaveeyam Veedhi, a designated cultural corridor in Thiruvananthapuram, is in a state of disrepair on account of a slew of construction works happening in the area. Now, in an effort to raise awareness about the issue, the Network of Artistic Theatre Activists Kerala (NATAK) has decided to hold cultural events on this stretch, despite the scruffy appearance of the backdrop.
“This stretch was designated for cultural events in 2001. It has been two decades. Once the construction work started, everything came to a halt. The entire ambience of the street has been lost, never mind the events. Now, the police are allowing heavy vehicles to park here,” said J Shailaja, NATAK’s general secretary.
Since work on the smart road began two years ago, the road has become a dumping ground for construction materials. Several spots on the stretch have also been dug up. According to the locals, the once-art corridor has become a haven for anti-social. “A revival of this road is indeed the need of the hour. We are holding cultural events amid this chaos to open the eyes of the administrators. We hope this helps expedite the project,” Shailaja added.
This is not the first time that the NATAK is organising a protest over the project’s delay. In October 2023, NATAK was one among the many cultural groups that marched towards the Secretariat urging the government to fast-track the project. However, no progress was made.
They had also protested the government’s move to turn this stretch into a food street. Many deemed that it would detract from the idea of this street as a cultural hub. “This stretch was once where people could come together and share their job. There was a soul to this street. This has been lost. Hopefully, the government will take steps to revive its past glory,” said D Raghuthaman, state president of NATAK.
Manaveeyam Veedhi, which extends from the statue of Vayalar Ramavarma on the Museum-Vellayambalam road to the statues of G Devarajan and P Bhaskaran at Althara junction was famous for the numerous artworks on display along the road and the many cultural performances it hosted.
The construction work here is part of the smart road project implemented by Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited (SCTL) and the city corporation. Intended as part of efforts to give this 180-metre stretch a big facelift, it now has proved very detrimental with the work getting stalled on several occasions due to the inefficiency of the contractors assigned the work.
Road could be opened by
March 31: Officials
Meanwhile, SCTL officials said the project, which is now 70% complete, will be opened by March 31. The Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), which is the project’s executing agency, has said that a new tender is out and that a contractor will be roped in in the next two weeks.