A classic case of how NOT to develop a playground

IN Malippuram, a cosy hamlet in Vypeen which boasts a long and cherished football legacy, the Veli ground was an altar of the sport, where every evening, the children and the elders alike gathered for casual exchanges and a game or two.

- RONNIE KURIAKOSE

So, when a plan was mooted last year to further improve the ground, the people here rejoiced. Indeed, there was good reason to. The plan, part of Kerala government's 'One Playground, One Constituency' initiative — which aimed to build 140 model playgrounds across the state, saw the allocation of 99.4 lakh to Vypeen. Malippuram's Veli ground was the chosen site for the upgrade in the constituency.

The idea was noble and the budget, generous. But when the first phase of the work began in late 2024, residents were perplexed to find boxy cement structures rising where once a green and open field was.

"Something had gone terribly wrong," recalls Vimal TR, coach of a local football club who conducts regular training sessions at the Veli ground.

The foundation, which being laid for the proposed amenities was seeing the ground, once 3,725 sq feet in area, reduced to a mere 800 sq feet.