KOCHI: Marine Drive in Kochi is now a far cry from its iconic status with improper infrastructure facilities, thanks to the apathy of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) in maintaining the area. The tourist and recreational hub now drives people away with its waterlogged walkway, stench emanating from garbage heaps, damaged seating arrangements and nonfunctional lights.

Worse, the authorities have not even bothered to maintain the spot for the past six years. Now, the residents, as well as tourists, complain they are not able to go for morning walks and enjoy other recreational activities.Renjit G Thampy, who takes the route for his walks everyday, said people will no longer be able to use the walkway for morning walks.

“I have been using the walkway for morning walks for the past 15 years. Noticing the dilapidated condition of the infrastructure facilities in the area, I have submitted several memorandums to the GCDA authorities, but they have not taken any action yet. With the onset of monsoon, the bad laying of tiles and lack of proper drainage have resulted in water logging on the walkway. Now hundreds of people like me will have to find some other place to carry out our daily routine. Also, the street vendors block us at several places. The lawn beside the walkway is badly maintained. After a long walk, if we want to sit somewhere, we cannot use the benches placed there. Most of them are damaged. If the bad infrastructure is causing this much trouble to us, imagine the situation of the tourists visiting the spot,” he said.

He also said the place has become a den for anti-social activities at night. “Fifty per cent of the lights at Marine Drive are not functioning. This encourages anti-social activities at night in many parts of Marine Drive. The boat-shaped structures in the middle of the walkway are the hot spots of anti-social activities. Also, there is no security system to curb these illegal activities,” Thampy added.  

S Gopakumar, president of the Better Kochi Response Group (BKRG), said the Marine Drive area has become a convenient spot for illegal waste dumping. “Garbage disposal is a total failure in the area. People litter the area with all kinds of waste including food and plastic as there are not enough garbage bins in the tourism spot. Also, wastes are being dumped into the backwaters by nearby residents. They also pump sewage into the backwaters,” he said.

He also said the authorities have failed to arrange toilet facilities in the tourist area. “There are no paid or free toilet facilities. Kochi seems to be the only tourist destination without sufficient public toilets. This disappoints both domestic and foreign tourists,” he said.

Meanwhile, GCDA Chairman V Saleem said they would undertake a beautification initiative at Marine Drive soon. “The initiative will be carried out with the help of the Smart City Mission,” he said. 

The GCDA has been parroting the same promise for the past several years, but little has been done so far. There is no reason to believe that it will be any different this time.

Hassle-bound

Fifty per cent of the lights at Marine Drive are not functioning. This encourages anti-social activities at night in many parts of the tourist spot

Though GCDA has promised to undertake a beautification drive here, people feel they have been parroting the same for several years, with nothing to show for it