Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will hand over the work order for her dream project Kolkata Eye on 29 January paving the way for it to start operating from 2020.
The state government has received all clearances that are needed to start the project. Larsen & Toubro has been selected through a global tender and work is likely to start very soon.
The Kolkata Eye that seeks to recreate a London landmark at Millennium Park along the Hooghly will offer a view of the skyline and the Hooghly river. It will be the first of its kind in Asia and will thus serve as a major tourist attraction, said an official.
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The giant wheel will be 135 metres in height, which is exactly the same as that of London Eye and will take 45 to 55 minutes for a complete round after starting from the ground level. It will carry a total of 480 persons at a time.
According to the proposal, the structure will possess 60 tubes with seating arrangement for eight persons in each of them. It will be a steel structure and parts will be assembled and erected at the site. If required technological assistance will be taken from Tokyo and Las Vegas.
The initial cost for the project was Rs 400 crore but it may rise due to certain technological inputs.
It is being estimated that once the construction begins, it will take two years to end the project. Thus, once the work order is handed over and the construction begins then the project will be completed by 2020.