Parade Ground’s historic legacy eclipsed by years of neglect

Parade Ground, an iconic landmark of Fort Kochi whose historic significance extends beyond its sporting legacy, remains in a state of neglect for years now.

After being given a facelift as one of the practice turfs for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, some matches of which were hosted in Kochi in 2017, the ground, one of the few open spaces available to sports enthusiasts in West Kochi, has seen little maintenance since. Grass planted during the renovation nine years ago now survives only in patches, while youngsters complain of injuries from the uneven surface. A fence erected as part of the renovation lies dismantled along the sidelines, serving no purpose other than as another source of injury to users.

Shiny Mathew, councillor for the Fort Kochi division, said the ground belongs to the Revenue department, and that repeated pleas to the Fort Kochi Revenue Divisional Officer for its upkeep had gone unheeded. “Either the Revenue department should entrust maintenance to an agency or hand it over to the Corporation. It has now been reduced to a parking lot where tourists even cook food and leave waste behind. Santa Cruz Ground, another major open space in Fort Kochi, is in a similar state of disrepair,” she added. Revenue Divisional Office sources said the matter would be looked into.