Mango, one of Jamshedpur's most crowded areas, is finally getting a 6.9 acre breather.

Thanks to Jamshedpur West MLA and state minister Saryu Roy, Mango will get a 6.9 acre landscaped Nature Park on World Environment Day, June 5, Sunday.

Alongside New Purulia Road, Nature Park, which has been built by Mango forest range at Pardih under Jamshedpur forest division following Roy's suggestion, will be the first park for the area which has around 3.5 lakh residents, where residential areas are cheek-by-jowl and people, traffic and cattle jostle on streets.

"A vast stretch of forest land was lying barren and was already under threat of encroachment," minister Roy told The Telegraph. "That's why I thought, why not convert the area into a park? It will not only protect forestland but also serve the need of the people. I discussed it with forest department officials and the plan fructified."

Funded by the forest department, the park, which cost Rs 24.5 lakh to build, will have modern conveniences such as model installations of wildlife species, a paved 3,000-freet-long pathway, 15 benches based on the theme of nature, solar-powered streetlights, fountains, drinking water facility, palm groves of at least 10 varieties of trees and a vast array of medicinal plants, a small pond and a contoured trench for water harvesting and groundwater recharging.

All the facilities will be guarded 24x7 by five state forest department security personnel on rotation.

Jamshedpur divisional forest officer (DFO) Saba Alam Ansari, when asked, sounded most excited about the medicinal plants that the department had planted on the plant premises.

"We have planted over 900 endangered medicinal plants of 51 varieties at the park that will be open for public use on June 5 by minister Saryu Roy," the DFO said. "The park has been designed to be a place for rest, relaxation and enjoyment of citizens. It will be the green lung Mango desperately needs," he added.

Ansari added that they were trying their best to make the park as eco-friendly as possible. "We have created a small pond with gully plugging and contour trench to prevent soil erosion and rainwater waste. Also, around 50 solar powered streetlights will be installed by Jharkhand Renewable Energy Development Agency soon," he said.

He added that visitors would not have a problem if they felt thirsty, thanks to a deep boring facility and a drinking water kiosk. Ten dustbins will also be placed across the park to keep it clean.

For most Mango residents, this is one of the best news of the year.

"My whole family is eagerly awaiting the park's inauguration. We have to go to Jubilee Park, nearly 3km away, for our morning walks. Now, we can do it right here near our locality," said Sanjay Kumar, a medical practitioner who stays in Sahara Apartments, Mango.

How can the new park be maintained properly? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com