Koothuparamba: Kerala cops are leaving no stone unturned to make the police stations welcoming to public. Visitors at the Mini Civil Station at this Kannur town take some rest at the nearby police station as they run from office to office.

A mini park under the shade of a fig tree on the police station premises is drawing people who often arrive to visit government offices in the vicinity. It is aptly named ‘Thanal’ (shade) and public could be seen preparing applications for myriad government services while sitting comfortably in the cool environs. Some come here to read the newspapers.

The premises, which were earlier overgrown with wild greenery, have been laid with interlocking tiles. Garden pots were placed and a compound wall was built. Seats are arranged at several spots in the park.

Paintings depicting various art forms and scenery can be viewed on the wall. A lawn spreads on the police station premises adjacent to the wall. Decorative plants adorn the roadside too.

The green police station was made possible thanks to the efforts of 40 police personnel under the circle inspector V Rajendran. Apart from the physical effort, the cops chipped in with their monetary contributions to make the garden a reality.

The CI said that the garden was set up after a directive issued by IG Balram Kumar Upadhyaya to keep police stations clean. “We wanted to do something more to clean the area than simply painting the police station. Old vehicles were earlier abandoned under a fig tree on the police station premises. They were shifted from the place and the park was set up. The paintings are the creations of artist Gopalakrishnan,” he said.

Swings and other similar playing equipment for kids would be installed in the next phase. Apart from the green park, the police have launched an organic farm on the station premises. The plantain crop at the farm is now ready for harvesting.