Work on petals to commence forthwith: SLTRC

Lotus Tower

Construction work on the petals of the Lotus Tower would commence soon, the Sri Lanka Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (SLTRC) said recently.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror last month, Project Director W. D. de Alwis said the construction of the main structure was complete, and that it was now attending to the interior structure of the tower. He concluded that the entire structure would be completed by 2018.

The petals which were assembled in another location have been transported to Colombo and will be attached to the tower.

Relevant officials stated that they hoped to stick to their deadline (October this year), but were unsure if the workload could be completed within the stipulated time frame.

The tower, originally scheduled to be completed by October 2017, is expected to house telecommunication antennas, offices and other recreational units, and once completed, will be the tallest structure in Sri Lanka and South Asia with a height of 530 metres.

While the construction of the project cost a whopping USD 104 million, eighty per cent of it would be borne by the EXIM Bank of China.

However, COPE Chairman who presented the report to parliament last week stated that the project like several others was a drain on the country’s economy.

The tower is to have a telecommunication museum, restaurants, supermarkets, food courts, conference halls with seating for 400 people, a 1,000-seat auditorium, luxury hotel rooms, ballrooms and an observation gallery.

Constructed on a 10-acre land, the first few floors of the tower will be allocated for malls, parks and parking facilities, while the upper floors are for telecommunication purposes.

Under phase two, plans are being made to construct a theme park, shopping mall and vehicle park.