Tata Steel/JUSCO

Innovating and city building in Jamshedpur

By AP Singh, Rajesh Rajan, Sanjay Sharma and Shubhenjit Chaudhuri

This case study originally appeared in Cities for the future: Innovative and
principles-based approaches to urban equity, sustainability and governance
(published in April 2015).

Cities for the future is the biannual flagship publication of the Global Compact
Cities Programme and is financially supported by the Research and Innovation
Portfolio at RMIT University.

For more information, visit www.citiesprogramme.org.

Cover image courtesy of Tata Steel.

 Jamshedpur, India

Cross-sectoral
Human Rights Labour Environment Collaboration

Innovating and city building in Jamshedpur

AP Singh (JUSCO), Rajesh Rajan (JUSCO), Sanjay Sharma (Urban Services, Tata Steel) and Shubhenjit Chaudhuri
(Corporate Sustainability, Tata Steel), Jamshedpur, India

In Jamshedpur in the Indian state of Jharkhand, cross-sector water, waste and education
projects led by Tata Steel have sought to embed improved human rights and environmental
goals in the city’s development.

A sustainable city uses fewer resources, produces less Jamshedpur today

waste and reduces levels of waste and pollution. Over the
In a landmark land lease agreement between Tata Steel
last 100 years, Jamshedpur has managed to improvise,
and the then Government of Bihar, now Jharkhand,
innovate and implement many sustainable solutions
Jamshedpur was handed over to Tata Steel for the
to improve its citizens’ quality of life. A signatory to the
company to set up a steel plant and other facilities such as
Global Compact since 2005, JUSCO, the urban service
housing for employees, schools, and hospitals. Tata Steel
delivery arm of Tata Steel, has managed the city’s
took responsibility to provide municipal and civic services
municipal services, undertaking projects to improve the
to the citizens of Jamshedpur. The company set about
city’s water and waste management, power distribution
extending civic amenities in adjoining private land areas
and education programs.
around the leasehold. This initiative ensured inclusive
growth together with community participation, resulting
A heritage city in the Tatas earning a generous amount of goodwill and
Five years before the first steel plant in India was set up loyalty from the stakeholders at large. Today, Jamshedpur
by the Tatas at Jamshedpur, Tata Steel founder Jamsetji citizens have become the city’s brand ambassadors.
Tata described his dream “city of steel” to his eldest son, There is no municipal corporation or urban local body
Dorab, in a letter in 1902: “Be sure to lay wide streets in Jamshedpur. The magisterial power lies with the
planted with shady trees, every other of a quick growing local administration and police. Municipal services are
variety. Be sure that there is plenty of space for lawns managed by JUSCO, which is uniquely placed as India’s
and gardens. Reserve large areas for football, hockey and first ‘Comprehensive Urban Integrated Infrastructure
parks. Earmark areas for Hindu temples, Mohammedan Service Provider’. Jamshedpur’s population is over one
[sic] mosques and Christian churches.” million and only 15 per cent of residents are employees
Between 1907, when Tata steel started operations in and dependents of Tata Steel and other Tata Group
what was then a small village called Sakchi, and 1924, companies.
the Tatas built a city out of the jungle. In 1911, English Jamshedpur has one of the highest green covers
journalist and editor of Times of India, Lovet Fraser, said (more than 27 per cent) of all cities in India, with over
of Jamshedpur: “I walked through street after street of 30 community parks covering an area of more than
commodious, one-storey brick houses, all well ventilated, 162 hectares. The largest, Jubilee Park, measures about
all supplied with running water and lit by electric light.” 93 hectares. The Tata Zoological Society, which houses
The town became a model of what modern India aspired approximately 400 animals, birds and insects; about 60
to be. of them endangered species, is situated within this park.
Jamshedpur was the first modern industrial city of India In the last decade, Tata Steel has planted over 1.2 million
trees in the town to improve air quality. The city is also
planned before independence and has a history of over
blessed with four water bodies covering an area of over 12
100 years. New Delhi, Chandigarh and Pune followed
hectares and the huge Dimna Reservoir, with a capacity
many years later.
of 35,000ML. The standard and quality of potable water,
In 1919, Lord Chelmsford renamed Sakchi village sewage treatment, power distribution and municipal
‘Jamshedpur’ and Kalimati Railway Station ‘Tatanagar’ to and solid waste (MSW) management at Jamshedpur
honour the visionary Jamsetji Tata. are considered to be benchmarks in India. As a result,
Jamshedpur has been consistently identified for its high communicable diseases. As a result, local cases of malaria
standard of living. and dengue are the lowest in the country. All children
between the ages of one and three years are immunized.
Toward a sustainable city with integrated city
Some of the public health solutions implemented in
management
Jamshedpur over the years include:
Integrated city management in Jamshedpur is
• a compost plant to treat and convert municipal waste
accomplished through JUSCO Sahyog Kendra (JSK), a one-
into compost for in-house use
stop shop providing all civic amenities and municipal
services. JSK is an IT enabled unit that runs 24 hours a • a biogas plant to convert food waste into energy for
day, seven days a week and is responsible for the operation in-house use in TATA Steel’s guest houses
and maintenance of the entire city in terms of logging
• recycling and treatment of storm water for irrigation
customer complaints and requests for JUSCO services. JSK
purposes
is wirelessly connected to 20 service depots across the city,
ensuring quick resolution of all customer complaints. In • the use of waste plastics as one of the ingredients in
2009, it was conferred the National Urban Water Award road construction
for Customer Care by the Honorable President of India.
• a drip irrigation system at Jubilee Park – the lungs
of the city – uses treated sewage water to reduce raw
Waste management, public health and horticulture
water consumption
services
• the development of green patches and tree planting to
Jamshedpur has an integrated MSW management strategy
improve air quality
with environmental sanitation, disease prevention and
control that aims to improve sanitation and promote • a stray dog sterilization centre.
healthy living amongst Jamshedpur citizens.
Water and wastewater services
MSW is collected daily and approximately 800 people are
engaged for maintenance activities, including sweeping, Water management in the city is based on the river-to-
drain cleaning, carcass removal, cleaning urinals/public river model, which means pumping water from the river,
toilets and garbage removal. An efficient storm water treating and converting it into clarified and potable water,
drainage system takes care of rainwater. More than 43,000 collecting sewage, treating it and sending it back to the
houses are treated every year for mosquito breeding river. Average daily water consumption is 200 LCD (litres/
sites to restrict cases of malaria, dengue fever and other capita/day). This is the highest in the country. Jamshedpur

Dimna Reservoir. Jamshedpur has one of the highest green covers of all cities in India, with over 30 community parks covering more
than 162 hectares. The standard and quality of potable water, sewage treatment, power distribution and municipal and solid waste
management are considered to be benchmarks for the country. Image: Tata Steel.
‘Cities for the future’ Case Studies - Gobal Compact Cities Programme

is now in the process of recycling and reusing sewage factors contribute to making Tata Power one of the
water by treating and converting it for irrigation and country’s most efficient power utilities. The Government
other purposes. The objective is to reduce the river water of India’s Ministry of Power has conferred the company
requirement and move towards achieving Zero Liquid with the national Gold Shield Award for two consecutive
Discharge within the city premises. years for ‘Outstanding Performance of Distribution
Companies’.
Robust process control measures are in place to ensure
that potable water is consistently better than the Bureau of Some of the solutions implemented over the years include:
Indian Standards and World Health Organization norms.
In Jamshedpur, people can drink water straight from the • a SCADA System for real-time data analysis and
tap with over 90 per cent coverage through pipe networks. corrective measures
The water management department of JUSCO has a NABL- • LED street lights
accredited water laboratory to ensure its potable water
quality. Because of its consistent performance and quality • cool roofs in place of conventional rooftops to reduce
control systems and processes, the department was heat load in residential housing
conferred with the TPM Excellence Award by the Japan • solar water heaters in company guest houses
Institute of Plant Maintenance in 2008. The department
• aerial bundled cables to reduce theft and loss
also received the 5th Asia Water Management Award (2008)
and the Commendation from Global Water Intelligence • use of new static electronic meters, three phase
Award (2008). electronic static meters and energy meters with remote
meter reading modems
While the age of the water network is increasing by the
day, the company continues to provide uninterrupted • compact sub-stations.
service through continuous improvements. Water loss
during distribution, or Non Revenue Water (NRW), is Community development
measured regularly to reduce/arrest leakages in the system.
Jamshedpur has been a successful smart city model for
Jamshedpur’s NRW is a benchmark in the country.
over 100 years. But to achieve sustainable and inclusive
Sewage disposal is another important part of city growth, effective modes of communication and active
management services and Jamshedpur benefits from community participation are required. Tata Steel has
complete network connection in its command area. The several citizen initiatives in Jamshedpur to build a happy
sewage network is connected to a state-of-the-art plant and engaged community, garner support and cooperation
that treats sewerage to levels above Indian regulatory and help conserve key resources for the generations to
requirements and recycles it for irrigation purposes. Some come.
of the water and wastewater solutions implemented over
the years include: Community development initiatives are driven through
the Urban Services Department and Tata Steel undertakes
• rain/surface water harvesting as an integral part of multiple initiatives to support health, education,
new construction guidelines. Implemention of these in livelihood and sports initiatives in the Jamshedpur
existing residential and commercial establishments is in community.
progress
• recharge pits to arrest stormwater for in-house use Vocational training
• potable sewage treatment plants to convert sewage into Tata Steel seeks to empower the community’s male and
reusable water for irrigation and other purposes female youth to improve their economic status through
• a geographical information system and SCADA system vocational training. Community youth have been able
for real-time data analysis and corrective measures to undertake job-oriented training in various vocational
trades – such as road safety, motor driving, business
• the use of electromagnetic metres, insertion probes, leak
process outsourcing call centres and beauty – with
detection equipment and pressure sustaining valves to
reputable professional bodies so that young people receive
reduce water loss.
training and subsequent employment. The company has
Power distribution also started creating an inventory of trades that are in
demand to provide training either in-house or through
Jamshedpur receives uninterrupted power throughout the professional bodies.
year. Power consumption in the city is 800 units/capita/
year as against the country average of 600 units/capita/ Training opportunities for women
year with power reliability of 99.9 per cent, availability
of 99.97 per cent and street light availability of 99.2 per Education is a key part of strategies to improve individual
cent. Transmission and distribution loss (4.5 per cent) is a wellbeing and society’s economic and social development.
country benchmark and compares with Singapore at 3 per Providing educational opportunities for women has been
cent. More than 700 km of Low and High Tension network an important part of India’s national endeavour. Tata
exists with over 60 per cent of these underground. Steel works toward increasing community literacy levels
for development and growth by supporting women’s
The power services department uses state-of-the-art
access to education through multiple means.
technology and processes and proactively maintains
and upgrades equipment to improve its efficiency. These
The midday meals scheme Mainstreaming students into formal schools
Under this scheme, midday meals are provided to students Early child education (Bal Vikas) is one of Tata Steel’s focus
in government schools in and around Jamshedpur to areas, with the company aiming to provide basic preschool
enhance enrolment, retention and attendance and education to approximately 600 underprivileged children
improve nutritional levels among children. Approximately each year. These classes are designed to increase interest
469 schools in the two neighbouring districts of East among the children and give them the opportunity to
Singhbhum and Seraikela–Kharsawan have been compete with others in the field of education.
adopted, with a total student base of approximately
65,000. An estimated 50,000 children benefit from Community building and sports
midday meals every day. Tata Steel has built a modern
kitchen for this initiative, with logistics and food provided The ‘Engage the Youth through Sports and Leadership’
in partnership with the Government of Jharkhand. program is one initiative that helps build strong
community bonds. The program provides infrastructural
facilities for the community, assisting disabled people to
Adult literacy
get mainstream and government jobs, building awareness
To address the issue of illiteracy amongst adults, Tata of social issues and organizing cultural events to establish
Steel provides an adult literacy program that focuses on family connections.
improving functional literacy to approximately 3,000
women every year.
Jamshedpur has been a signatory to the Global Compact
since 2005. It has been a participant at the Innovating
level. Tata Steel is a Lead Global Compact corporate
participant.

Early childhood education is a focus area for Tata Steel, which aims to provide preschool education to 600 underprivileged children in
Jamshedpur. A midday meals scheme aims to enhance retention, enrolment, attendance and nutritional levels. Meals are provided to an
estimated 50,000 children per day. Image: Tata Steel.