Saturday, 24 May 2014

Kolkata to have the world’s tallest Ferris wheel

Kolkata will have its own Ferris wheel called Kolkata Merina on the Hooghly waterfront, just like the London Eye. It will be the tallest Ferris wheel in the world and the tallest observatory in Kolkata 150-180 metres in diameter and 140-170 metres tall with 30 capsules to accommodate some 500 people.
The project has attracted five global players which includes two architects from London to develop the ‘Kolkata Eye’.

The tourism department of Bengal has floated a global tender in October. The project will offer various entertainments other than the bird eye view of the city and adventure sports like yachting, rowing and canoeing, anglers will have a quiet zone to themselves.

It will be a joint venture project between the state government and a private partner, the tourism ministry of Bengal. The last date of filing the EOIs passed last week. The architect firms of London Eye who applied include Enerpac, Hollandia, Rankins, Tong Gee & Partners. The process of scrutiny in underway, state tourism secretary Raghabendra Singh said that after the vendors are shortlisted they will be invited to give their presentations, and after submitting their technical and financial bids will the deal be finialised.
London Eye, the giant wheel on the banks of River Thames, is 135 metres (443 ft) tall and has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft). It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, visited by over 3.5 million people annually. When erected in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed first by the 160m (520 ft) Star of Nanchang in 2006, and then the 165m (541 ft) Singapore Flyer in 2008. Kolkata Merina will be 165 metres, tallest Ferris wheel in the world.
 
A site near the second Hooghly Bridge on Howrah has been shortlisted by the officials and executives of Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners. The venue has been chosen as the Howrah river bank so that the view of the Kolkata skyline is clear.

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