The Minister of  Economic Affairs, Hon Basil Rajapaksa laid the foundation stone to  construct the Colombo Lotus Tower, a multi-functional Telecommunication  Tower today (Jan 20). 
The tower will be constructed at the  Beire Lake waterfront and alongside a part of D R Wijewardene Mawatha.  The 350 meters tall Tower is being built under the auspices of the  Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) on a plot  of land covering 3.06 hectares. 
When this is completed it will  be a striking city symbol and an important landmark by becoming the  tallest Tower in South Asia. This is a free standing tower with a  four-storey high podium; a concrete tower shaft of moderate diameter;  eight storied tower head; and a steel framed antennae mast surmounted at  the top. 
The Tower will provide for telecommunication and  leisure activities, and will facilitate the relaying of at least 50  separate broadcasting and telecasting services, provide facilities for  about 20 service providers in telecommunication relay defence signals  and indirectly contribute to the removal of high powered TV and FM  antennas placed on top of various buildings in the Colombo city. 
The tower podium will also house a telecommunication museum, food  courts, administrative offices exhibition spaces and corresponding  amenities and tower shaft will be a hollow concrete cylinder  accommodating high-speed lifts and stairs for vertical circulations and  ducts for various type of building services. 
The tower head  will comprise eight floor levels accommodating an Observation Deck,  Revolving Restaurant, and Banquet Hall for 1000 guests as well as two  floors of super luxury hotel accommodation. 
The total estimated cost of the project is USD 104.3 million. 
The TRCSL will finance and implement the project, with technical  assistance obtained from the Faculty of Architecture University of  Moratuwa. A team of consultants led by Emeritus Prof. Nimal De Silva,  Prof. Samitha Manawadu and Prof. Chithra Weddikkara have provided  professional advice on designing cost planning and cost control of the  project. 
A Chinese conglomerate comprising China National  Electronics Import and Export Corporation (CEIEC) and Aerospace  Long-March International Trade Co. Ltd (ALIT) will undertake the project  on a turnkey basis according to the concept and preliminary design done  by local experts. 
Welcome speech of the inauguration ceremony  was done by Chairman of TRCSL and Secretary to HE the President, Mr.  Lalith Weerathunga. Minister of Media and Information Hon Keheliya  Rabukwella, and President of China National Electronic Imp and Exp  Corporation Mr. Chen Xu and a large gathering were also present at the  event.





No comments:
Post a Comment