A park-cum-joggers’ track being developed by Jusco at Golmuri on Friday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, May 6: The smell of roses will replace the stench of cow dung.

Jusco, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Steel, plans to convert six plots of the steel major’s leased land that were recently cleared of encroachers, into parks, joggers’ tracks and picnic spots at a total cost of Rs 1.73 crore and a year-end deadline.

The recent eviction drive of Tata Steel, assisted by East Singhbhum district administration, is different from the statewide anti-encroachment initiative that spurred violence, allegations of bias, displacement and opportunities for out-of-work politicians to stage a comeback. After bulldozers do their job, the debris is seldom cleared.

On the other hand, Jusco plans to convert similar urban warts into beauty spots. It is a lesson that the state government might do well to learn.

“We initiated steps to beautify plots under Tata lease that were encroached upon and have been cleared recently. Converting them into green lungs will benefit residents and prevent future encroachments,” said Jusco spokesperson Rajesh Rajan.

Around two acres of khatals at Gwala Bustee in Bhuiyandih that were cleared will transform into a park-cum-joggers’ track at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. A picnic spot, with a proposed outlay of Rs 36.5 lakh, is slated near Tube Maker’s Club in Nildih on what was an encroached plot. The civic utility company will spend Rs 75 lakh on a four-acre park at Pandey Maidan at Baridih. A small park of 2,400sqft will replace abandoned sheds near M-Type quarters at Baridih, costing Rs 5.25 lakh.

The company will construct a club with a park near Agrico traffic signal, on 1.5 acres, at a cost of Rs 24 lakh. A one-acre plot beside Akash Deep Plaza, a shopping arcade in Golmuri, that used to be encroached upon by mechanics and transporters, will now be a lush green park with joggers’ track.