From Clean Beginnings to Chaotic Decline

A few months before I took this picture, the space was clean, tidy, and welcoming.

These were shops constructed by Corporation of Trivandrum and then it's planned to be handed to private individuals to run shops! Well, that was the plan and designed in some modern way, an earthy kind of design

Today, after few shop are running in that place and already the area has lost its order. Waste is scattered, the environment feels unkempt, and the place now resembles a hawker zone rather than a thoughtfully planned shops next to Napier Museum. 

Why does this happen so often?

The Core Issue: Lack of Accountability

Government agencies usually start with the right intentions — ambitious plans, well-constructed facilities, and a vision for public benefit. But once the ribbon is cut, maintenance often takes a back seat.

Without accountability and clear upkeep standards, even the most promising public spaces slide into disorder.

Local Examples: The Decline of Government Shopping Centres

In Trivandrum, this story has repeated itself many times:

Kedaram Shopping Centre (Kazhakoottam): Once a hub for youngsters in the early 2000s, with Oasis restaurant drawing crowds, it slowly lost charm as upkeep declined. Shops remain, but footfall has dropped drastically.

Saphalyam Complex (Palayam) & TRIDA Centre (Medical College): Initially promising, but over time have become reminders of how not to manage public spaces.

It’s always easier to build than to maintain. Sustaining the same vibrancy and order takes effort and systems.

Learning from Elsewhere: What Europe and the US Do Differently

Public spaces in Europe and the US face the same challenge — but many cities have found ways to institutionalize maintenance:

• Clear Custodianship – Every shopping centre or public space has a dedicated management body (often a mix of govt + private partners) that is responsible for cleanliness, safety, and promotion.
  
  
• Tenant Accountability – Shop owners sign agreements that include waste disposal, hygiene standards, and penalties for non-compliance. In some US city-owned markets, a tenant’s lease can even be canceled for repeated violations.
  
  
• Maintenance Funds – A portion of rent/lease revenue is earmarked for continuous cleaning, landscaping, and repairs. European cities like Copenhagen  ensure this is a fixed part of the budget. ( This could be a model which we can follow) 
  
  
• Community Engagement – Many municipalities involve local associations or business improvement districts (BIDs) to co-manage public centres. This builds shared ownership, not just reliance on the government.
  
  Suggestion from ChatGPT  ☝️

Positive Local Models

It’s not all bleak. Even in Trivandrum, examples like Gandhi Park at East Fort and many beautified traffic islands show what consistent care and responsibility can achieve.

So the real question is:

How do we replicate these good practices at scale?

Who takes ownership for maintaining newly built complexes, like those near Napier Museum, before they start deteriorating?

The Call for Initiative

It isn’t difficult to keep spaces clean and vibrant — it just requires clarity of responsibility and consistent enforcement.

• The government can construct.
• The shop owners can benefit.

But unless there is a shared maintenance framework, we will keep repeating the cycle of build → neglect → decay.

Someone has to take the initiative. The question is — who will step up? 

mind map around this topic