Colombo was in news for a good reason, the island capital gets its biggest tourist attractions in the form of 350 meters (1,155 feet ) Lotus Tower. The 17-story Lotus tower surrounded over 10 acres of land located in the heart of the Capital.Â
The tower comprises the observation deck, auditoriums, a television tower, a hotel, a telecommunications museum, and others. The State-owned Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company will look after the tower operations and announce its arrival from September 15 onwards.
Islanders popularly called Colombo Lotus Tower as Nelum Kuluna. The construction of the tower has had twists and turns, began on January 20, 2012, and soon after plagued with corruption claims has interrupted the work. It took a decade to open for visitors and as part of the first phase observations decks and other areas were thrown open to tourists from Thursday onwards.Â
Under the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of the Chinese government, the tower was built by the China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation (CEIEC) by spending 113 million US dollars and handed over the completed project to Sri Lanka in February 2022.
Lotus Tower tallest in Sub-continent
The tower stands tall in terms of size, as it is recognized as the tallest building in Indian Subcontinent. The giant tower is registered as the 11th tallest multifunctional building in Asia and overall 19th in the world.Â
It has four entrances of which two entries are reserved for VIPs.The podium consists of six floors and the landscaping is designed as a large water park. The management collects tickets ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000, the introductory price allows tourists to enter the tower only once.
At high-end price visitors has separate entries and can have multiple entries in a single day. Plans are on the cards to replace entrance tickets with QR Codes.Â
During weekdays, the tower will be open from 2 pm to 10 pm, and on weekends timings are 12 pm to 11 pm. Exclusive school tours are opened at a special rate of Rs 200 from October 1.Â
Opening in phasesÂ
To bail from debts, the management has opened the tower to tourists and the remaining blocks will be opened in the second and third phases. In the second phase, e-sports centers and digital museums will be open later this year. In March 2024, the third phase of the tower will be open to visitors, which primarily features Colombo’s much-publicized revolving restaurant. The restaurant serves special traditional Sri Lankan cuisine and other dishes.Â
The structure’s main revenues come from tourism and transmission antenna leasing. It represents the infrastructure development of Information and communication technologies and instruments of national-level technology investment.Â
On top of it, modern transmission centers dedicated to multiple telecommunications companies serve as the primary communications hub for Sri Lanka. It has 30 FM Radio Stations and 20 telecom service providers.Â
What’s in itÂ
The top floor has reserved to open multiple entities like restaurants, service facilities, event halls, and banks. Visitors are going to get the impression that they are floating above the Colombo sky from the observation room at the top of the lotus tower. The national telecommunications regulatory commission offices are on the first and second floors, according to management.
The giant tower is made up of four parts, the base, stem, tower house, and antennae. The tower base is situated between 215 and 260 meters above sea level and has more than nine floors. The base petals glow with the valley of shades that resemble the lotus bud’s shape.
A 9D cinema offering a cutting-edge technological experience, a digital art gallery, a banking system, and a restaurant will all be located on the first floor. The observation deck is located on the seventh floor of the tower, where visitors will be treated to a panoramic view of the city from a height of 280 meters.
