APD | South Asia’s tallest tower opens in Sri Lanka

By APD writer Easwaran

**COLOMBO, SEPT. 17 (APD) ** -- The Colombo Lotus Tower, South Asia’s tallest tower at 350 meters high, was declared open by President Maithripala Sirisena in Sri Lanka on Monday night.

The tower comprises a telecommunications museum, hotel, restaurants, auditorium, and an observation deck.

The 17-storeyed tower was constructed at a cost of around US$ 100 million, of which 80 per cent was funded by China.

The Department of Posts decided to issue a commemorative stamp to mark the opening of the Lotus Tower.

Under the Belt and Road Initiative, Sri Lanka and China signed the Lotus Tower agreement in 2012 to build the highest TV tower in South Asia, with China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation (CEIEC) being the general contractor.

The Lotus Tower will function as a TV tower, a hotel, a shopping mall and a conference center.

There are four gates to the Lotus Tower, which covers an area of 30,600 square meters. There is also a restaurant and a communication museum on the ground floor. The 6th storey tower has two exhibit halls for the faculty. The observatory has been built on the seventh floor.

There is also a restaurant and a communication museum on the ground floor and a two exhibition halls on the sixth floor while the seventh floor has the observation deck.

The Lotus Tower will be open to the public later this month.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)