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V.Rishi Kumar

Hyderabad, Sept. 7

Bhagyanagar Entertainment Ltd, a special purpose vehicle of the Surana group, has sewn up plans to invest Rs 150 crore in an innovative entertainment-cum-theme park near Shamirpet about 25 km from here.

The company is in the process of finalising various partners and developers and has enlisted the services of Garner Holt Productions for animatronics to bring in interactivity to various themes.

The Chief Executive Officer of Bhagyanagar Entertainment Ltd, Mr Kalpesh Shah, told Business Line that the project will be spread over a 22-acre site and will have an investment outlay of about Rs 45 crore in the phase one.

“The work on the project will begin in November and we expect the phase one to be ready within 24 months,” he explained.

“The company is in parleys with private equity including IL&FS and expects to achieve financial closure within a month,” Mr Shah said, adding, “This project is part of Andhra Pradesh Government effort to create new themes and develop tourism in the State. The State will also hold equity in the project.”

Referred to as Mini India, the project seeks to create Taj Mahal, Charminar and many other major tourist attractions of the country. Significantly, they will not just be monuments. For instance, the Charminar will have a hotel and an eatery where Hyderabadi Biryani, kababs and Chai will be served.

Initially, the park will have five State themes featured, and gradually change the States to cover various other states.

For instance, when a child visits the Nizam gallery planned in the park, he can go to one of the Nizam statue, and there his details are narrated. Such interactivity, referred to animatronics, will be handled by Garner Holt, he said.

“Apart from recreating Panchatantra stories, we will pack the park with whole lot of entertainment not just for children but the entire family, be it through artificial beach or wind tunnel. If we can attract a child, we know the entire family is in,” he said.

What will set us apart is that it will be affordable to middle class, he said.

More Stories on : New Projects | Entertainment & Leisure | Andhra Pradesh

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