KOCHI: The ambitious open-air theatre launched to provide a vibrant space for live cultural performances in the heart of the city -- at Jos Junction -- has now turned into a haven for anti-social elements. The reason: poor upkeep and lack of events.
Residents and owners of business establishments in the area have reported incidents of drug abuse and prostitution around the open-air theatre, triggering question marks over its feasibility going forward.
“Drug peddlers, prostitutes, and thieves have turned the area into a nightmare for local residents. Though the issue has been brought to the notice of the officials concerned, the situation remains the same,” said Jose Pradeep, the president of Kerala Travel Mart and the managing partner of Hotel Yuvarani Residency.
Pradeep has written to Loknath Behera, the managing director of KMRL which manages the open-air theatre launched in 2020, to initiate action and clean up the area off anti-social elements.
“The pedestrians and even those working in the various businesses nearby are scared to walk through this area as prostitutes have taken over the space and walk around canvassing clients. Recently, a brawl broke out there. After the incident, the police have increased patrolling, and there has been some respite from drug dealers,” he pointed out.
Sunil Jacob Jose, an advocate at the Kerala High Court, said: “My family can’t come out of the house because of the prostitutes roaming around. They carry out their trade in the nearby lodges. The situation is dire, and hence, we are planning to shift.”
Nazar, a worker at Malabar Dish, a fast-food joint, complained that the illegal activities have affected his business.
“The local residents are finding it hard to find a solution even as these activities are affecting our daily lives,” he said.
Some of them even suggested changing the open-air theatre into a parking lot which will be beneficial for the public and KMRL.
Meanwhile, Behera said KMRL has reported the anti-social activities in the area to the city police commissioner. “The police have taken some action and have arrested some people. Now, we are planning to install more streetlights and CCTV cameras to curb such activities,” he said.
KMRL has plans to float tenders inviting interested parties to maintain and host events at the open-air theatre.
“The purpose of constructing the open-air theatre was to hold events and cultural programmes. Some organisations have expressed their interest in leasing the area for a year to conduct events,” Behera said.
Some portion of the area will be allocated for parking, he added.