Munch, freshen up, chat with friends without worrying where to park your bike. The steel city’s bustling nerve centre and shopping hub Bistupur will get a dedicated public square, possibly the first of its kind in Jharkhand, by mid-March.

To be known as Bistupur public square in two phases, the place will offer people, especially shoppers and professionals in Bistupur a place to relax and unwind, said spokesperson Rajesh Rajan of Jusco, the Tata Steel subsidiary, which is building the project.

The first phase is almost ready and will be thrown open to the public by mid-March, a Jusco official said. A 175mx16m area alongside the stretch between Fakira Chanachur near Jamshedpur’s oldest multi-storey market complex Kamani Center and Bank of Baroda regional office on Bistupur Main Road, it will be dedicated in mid-March, tentatively March 12, he said.

Beautification on at the site. Picture by Bhola Prasad

“It will have a parking bay for over 200 two-wheelers, toilet facilities for men and women, snack kiosks, a colourful fountain, a green buffer zone, separate corners for children and senior citizens. There will be no parking bay for four-wheelers as one already exists for four- and three-wheelers near the Bank of Baroda,” he said.

He added every effort had been taken to make the square look good. “We’re landscaping with evergreen saplings for a green buffer between the road and the public square. This apart, there will be designer lamps along with colourful fountains and swings and slides in the kids’ corner. We will also install benches and ramps in an exclusive area meant for senior citizens. The public square will also have food courts with proper dustbins, washrooms and urinals,” added the official.

A 1.5m wall will be built to separate the square from Bistupur Main Road and ensure people are not inconvenienced by traffic. There will be elevated pedestrian crossings and ramps for the disabled. The entrance will be stylish too.

Jusco spokesperson Rajesh Rajan confirmed the first phase of the public square, along with parking bay for two-wheelers, was nearing completion.

“We will dedicate the parking bay along with first phase of the public square this coming week,” he said.

On the second phase from LIC Building to Bank of Baroda, with almost identical amenities, he said it would take five-six months.