Adding a new experience to the Sri Lankan landscape, the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia and the tallest skyscraper in the country, the Colombo Lotus Tower officially commenced operations today as it was declared open to the public.
Prior to its opening this afternoon, the official website of the Lotus Tower (www.colombolotustower.lk) was also launched while the event was also graced by Tourism Minister Harin Fernando.
A large number of visitors, both local and foreign, were seen arriving at the Lotus Tower on the first day with officials expecting the number to only grow in the coming days.
The members of the public will now be 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 USD 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.
The Chief Administrative Officer of Colombo Lotus Tower Pvt. Ltd., Major General Prasad Samarasinghe (Rtd) said that the Lotus Tower, which was opened to the public from 2pm today, is planned to avail new technological experiences along with entertainment.
“A ticket of Rs. 500 for the general public and a ticket of Rs. 200 for children under 10 years will be issued. It is scheduled to open on weekends from 12 noon to 10 pm. Foreigners do not need to wait in the queue. They can buy a $20 ticket and come anytime,” he said.
Meanwhile, Major General Prasad Samarasinghe explained the opportunity given to school children to visit the Lotus Tower.
“For school children, we have given the opportunity by the organizing committee of Lotus Tower with a ticker priced at Rs 200. But schools have to make a request and must come in an organized manner to see the Lotus Tower. From 9 am in the morning to 2 pm in the afternoon. Permission will be granted for that. You have to make a request to us. We have a program for that. It will be implemented from next week.”
Those visiting the Lotus Tower can experience pubs, famous restaurants and souvenir shops on the ground floor, while several renowned commercial banks are also planned to be established on the ground floor.
The first floor is expected to be allocated for offices and it is also expected to establish a digital cinema hall. On the requests made by individuals and companies, steps have been taken to rent out space at the Lotus Tower on the basis of rates per square foot.
The third floor consists of a conference hall, which can accommodate up to 400 people at a time. Meanwhile, the open floor has been designed in such a manner that it can be used for various entertainment activities.
On the first floor, shaped like a lotus bud, a reception hall has been constructed that can accommodate about 400 people, and the upper floor is equipped with a revolving restaurant which no doubt, will be a novel experience for the public.
Further, the public will also have the unique opportunity of experiencing a bird’s eye view of the Colombo skyline from the highest observation deck.
Lotus Tower is also equipped with three of the fastest lifts in the country, made in line with Japanese technology. The public can look forward to experiencing these unique attractions now that the Colombo Lotus Tower has commenced operations.
Considered to be the tallest self-supported structure in South Asia which is measured up to 356 metres in height, the Lotus Tower was ceremoniously handed over to the Government of Sri Lanka on February 28, 2022, by the Chinese company following the completion of its construction work. Thereafter, Colombo Lotus Tower Pvt. Ltd. was established and its operations were entrusted to the company.
After it was declared open, the ‘Lotus Tower – Multifunctional TV and Telecommunications Tower’ was foreseen to be one of the significant landmarks and an epitome of the Sri Lankan economy, culture, and development.
Measuring up to 356 metres in height, the Lotus Tower was constructed with a cost to the tune of USD 113 million. A Chinese company granted USD 88.65 million while the rest was borne by the Sri Lankan government. The loan instalments are due to be completed by 2024. USD 66.3936 million of the loan has already been paid.
Colombo Lotus Tower Private Company is a company established in March this year under the Treasury and all its transactions are audited by the Auditor General’s Department.
The loan agreement between the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) and China was initiated and the work on the Lotus Tower commenced in 2012.
