Lucknow to get its own London Eye

LUCKNOW: A London Eye-like giant Ferris wheel on the banks of Gomti will come up in the city soon.
A part of the larger 12km Gomti riverfront development and beautification project, the Ferris wheel was approved during the LDA board meeting on Friday.
The idea to establish this wheel was first mooted in 2012 by the then state govt.
The wheel will be 30 meters in diameter, featuring air-conditioned cabins with audiovisual facilities, each capable of seating eight people.The Ferris wheel is expected to provide a bird’s eye view of Lucknow, enhancing the city’s tourism appeal. The wheel will complete three rounds in an hour, providing ample viewing time for visitors. The LDA intends to make the wheel a significant landmark in the city.
Affordable housing: LDA has approved price reduction of flats in several housing schemes. For instance, the price of a 3 BHK Type 3 flat in Rashmilok apartment has been reduced from Rs 72 lakh to Rs 62 lakh. The price of a 3 BHK Type 2 flat will be cut from Rs 71 lakh to Rs 61 lakh. Other reductions include dropping the cost of a 2 BHK flat from Rs 54 lakh to Rs 48 lakh, and a one BHK from Rs 48 lakh to Rs 41 lakh. Further reductions have been applied to flats in Anubhuti and Srujan apartments.
Special facilitation charges: The special facilitation charges applicable around the Metro Route, Outer Ring Road, Shaheed Path, Green Corridor, and Kisan Path will now encompass a larger area. These charges, previously levied around a 500-meter radius, will now be applicable within a 2.5 km radius. “For this, a rate of Rs 200 per square meter has been fixed,” according to the updated policy. This fee will also apply to those seeking approval of maps for commercial, industrial, office, and community facilities within the specified area.
Expansion of Jurisdiction: The jurisdiction of LDA is set to expand, covering the entire district except for areas managed by the Lucknow Industrial Development Authority (LIDA) and the Cantonment. This expansion will include both urban and rural areas within the district. A revised proposal to extend LDA’s scope was put forward in the recent board meeting.
The proposal outlines that areas such as Sarojininagar, Kakori, Malihabad, Bakshi Ka Talab, Gosaiganj, and Mohanlalganj will be incorporated into LDA’s domain. The proposal has been sent to the govt for final approval, after which these areas will be included in the LDA Master Plan 2031.