Sri Lanka’s Lotus Tower, dubbed South Asia’s tallest structure, commenced operations yesterday (15) and was officially opened to the public.
Following the commencement of its operation, members of the public were allowed to visit the tower by purchasing a ticket for Rs. 500 or Rs. 2,000. For a foreign national, the ticket is priced at $ 20.
Those who purchase a ticket for Rs. 2,000 will be given the opportunity to enter the premises without standing in a queue, and to climb to the top of the tower several times during a single visit. Meanwhile, those who purchase Rs. 500 tickets will be allowed to visit the top of the tower only once.
Considered to be the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia, at 356 m in height, the Lotus Tower was handed over to the Government of Sri Lanka on 28 February 2022, by the Chinese company, following the completion of its construction work. Thereafter, Colombo Lotus Tower Pvt. Ltd. was established in March this year under the Treasury, with all its transactions audited by the Auditor General’s Department, and the building’s operations were entrusted to the company.
The Lotus Tower was constructed with a cost to the tune of $ 113 million. A Chinese company granted $ 88.65 million, while the rest was borne by the Sri Lankan Government, according to the President’s Media Division. The loan instalments are due to be completed by 2024, and $ 66.3936 million of the loan has already been paid, the PMD added.
The loan agreement was initiated between the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) and China, and the work on the Lotus Tower commenced in 2012.
Colombo Lotus Tower opened to public yesterday
16 Sep 2022
Colombo Lotus Tower opened to public yesterday
16 Sep 2022