Located in the heart of Kaloor’s bustling Vaidhyar Lane, the Vyloppilli Smaraka Park lies. A green sanctuary amid the bustle of a busy city.
Inaugurated on May 11, 2007, the park was envisioned as a library and open space for the public. However, named after one of Kerala’s most iconic and legendary poets, Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon, the park today tells a story of profound neglect. What should be a vibrant space has become a graveyard of broken equipment and stagnant water.
Walking through the park, one thing is immediately clear — everything here is damaged. Sameer, a 35-year-old real estate worker who moved to Kaloor a month ago, uses the park as his makeshift office. “It’s my go-to place for business deals,” he says, noting that while he sees weekly cleaning, the overall broken state of the park never changes.
Nowadays, a few elders are the only regular visitors, who enter the park for a bit of shade and rest. The playground is a ghost town; the swings, slides, and merry-go-round are rusted and broken. Even the installed open-gym equipment sits ignored and unmaintained.
The park’s stage remains its only active feature, occasionally hosting organised programmes. However, once the curtains close, the area returns to its neglected state.
For youngsters like Dhanya Sree, 23, and Akhila, 22, who are hospital administration students, the park represents a wasted opportunity. “This is a prime location in Kaloor,” Akhila points out. “I’ve never actually seen anyone playing here.” Dhanya believes maintaining the space well would be a great gift to the public.
The neglect goes deeper than broken swings. The lack of public washrooms has forced people to use the back of the park as a toilet, creating a persistent stench. Furthermore, a canal running beneath the park’s built-in stage is clogged with wastewater, turning it into a massive breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The library inside the park remains permanently locked, and frequent visitors say they have never seen it open. This lack of transparency adds to the park’s eerie, abandoned atmosphere.
“Once, newspapers and magazines were provided through sponsorships and compliments to the library,” a visitor recalls.
Gopalakrishnan, the 65-year-old security guard who has witnessed the park’s history over two decades, remains the lone figure of authority, opening the gates at 9am and closing them at 6.30pm.
When reached for comment, M G Aristotle, the ward councillor for Kaloor, confirmed that the park falls under his authority and stated that revitalising the space is currently one of his major projects.
Acknowledging that the park has been in poor condition for the last four to five years, he revealed that a high-level meeting was held just last week with the relevant authorities to prioritise its maintenance.
As a result of the recent meeting, a committee has been formed to oversee the restoration. A key part of this plan involves the library located inside the park, which has remained locked.
The corporation, the councillor says, is preparing to purchase new hardware and appoint dedicated staff, including a librarian.
“Along with that, the committee has decided to hand over the long-term maintenance of both the park and the library to C-HED (Centre for Heritage, Environment, and Development),” he adds.
“We are also planning to hold monthly programmes on the interior stage, including recitals of Vyloppilli’s poems by children, book launches, and literary discussions. We can also collaborate with schools,” he adds.
Additionally, the library will be formally registered under the corporation, he says. Within six months, the park and library will be fully restored as a vibrant cultural centre for the city, he says.
An official with C-HED explained the details. “While the final agreement is yet to be formalised, the current plan is to renovate the park and open it within six months.”