The entrance of Hazaribagh Lake Cafeteria on Friday. (Vishvendu Jaipuriar)

Visitors to the historical Hazaribagh lakes in the heart of town can hope to walk into a refurbished, swanky cafeteria at the landmark address from August 15.

Ujjala Winicom Private Limited, the company that was recently awarded the contract to run the eating joint, has pumped in funds to do up the rundown place that has been a victim of extreme apathy. With renovation work almost over, the company now plans to open the cafeteria, which will henceforth be called Ujjala Lake View Cafeteria, on Independence Day, promising to dish out better quality food and a great ambience.

“The earlier agency that was in-charge of the cafeteria had left it in a pitiable state. Various structures were damaged and we had no other option but to undertake repairs. We got experts from Chennai, Calcutta and Dhanbad to give a new look and feel to the place,” said Manju Mehta, owner of Ujjala Winicom.

Apart from repairing the broken structures, the company has undertaken landscaping on the premises. Plans are also afoot to construct a water kingdom on the 25-acre plot. There is already a toy train, which is a huge hit among children.

“We had made the changes after seeking approval from the district administration. As far as food items that will be served are concerned, we called in expert cooks from Calcutta to improve the taste and quality. We will charge reasonable rates,” she added.

The owner said that they had wanted to start the cafeteria on August 10. But work could not be completed and now, they were eyeing an inauguration on August 15.

“I know people of Hazaribagh have an emotional connect with the Hazaribagh lakes. The facelift that we have tried to give to this place will bring smile on the faces of the visitors,” she added.