Beach Bliss Park on Butt Road falls on hard times

The arch-like sculpture on Butt Road beach in Kozhikode that collapsed recently.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

The Beach Bliss Park on Butt Road that used to be the pride of Kozhikode is now a sight of despair with its compound walls having collapsed and the gate-like sculpture crumbled.

The renovated park, which was opened two years ago, has been a favourite joint of morning walkers and beach-goers alike, thanks to its remoteness from the hustle and bustle of the city and the Kozhikode main beach. With its walkways, fountains, cycle and skating tracks, play areas, and cafeteria adding to the serene background of the Arabian sea, it has been a delightful sight for sore eyes and minds.

The compound walls on the western side of the park along with a few ornamental lamp posts fell victim to sea erosion in July this year. The gate-like granite sculpture that was set up as part of the ‘Shilpa Nagaram’ project almost 10 years ago crumbled just a week ago. The horizontal granite beam, supported by two granite pillars, broke in half and fell down narrowly missing an accident that could have cost lives.

The damage has not affected the stream of visitors to the beach though. It may take a while to put the park back in order. The District Tourism Promotion Council that manages the park is in touch with the Department of Harbour Engineering in this regard.