We Park, the pilot project under the design policy of the State to convert unused public spaces into sustainable and aesthetically appealing sites, was opened here on Saturday (February 1, 2025).

Inaugurating the park located near SN College Junction below the railway overbridge, Tourism and PWD Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said that Kerala is the first Sate in the country to implement a design policy in the public works and tourism sector through which the space under bridges will be transformed in a way that benefits the public.

Check on narcotics

“By creating such public spaces, the use of narcotics can be controlled to a great extent. The State government intends to utilise the space under more than a hundred bridges in the State in this manner, in collaboration with cooperative institutions, private establishments, and individuals,” said the Minister.

‘We Park’, created on approximately 70 cents of land owned by the Public Works department, includes facilities such as walking tracks, a cafeteria, badminton and volleyball courts, a chess block, a skating area, an open gym, a yoga and meditation zone, an event space, toilets, and parking. The project, implemented by Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited (KTIL) at a cost of ₹2 crore, had Habitat Technology Group as its project management consultant. The income generated from the park will be used for its maintenance, which will be handled by District Tourism Promotion Council, Kollam Corporation and other departments concerned.

Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, who was the chief guest at the event, said that unused spaces across the State should be transformed in a similar manner. Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development J. Chinchurani said that ‘We Park’ will stand as an image of development located near the heart of Kollam city. M. Naushad, MLA, presided over the function while N.K. Premachandran, MP, Mayor Honey Benjamin, District Collector N. Devidas and District Police Chief (Kollam City) Kiran Narayanan were also present on the occasion.