By summer 2016, the Seven Wonders of the World would be less than a half-hour drive away for residents of Salt Lake and New Town. A section has been set aside in Eco Tourism Park where miniatures of all the seven marvels would come up. Work should begin in the first week of January and conclude in six months.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had recently said that she wishes for the people of Bengal to be able to enjoy the wonders of the world without having to step out of the state. Debashis Sen, chairman cum managing director of Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco), added that it would be beneficial for children to learn about the world too. 

“Eco Park is immensely popular, drawing around 60,000 visitors on Sundays in winter. But we need to keep updating it with new attractions,” said Sen. 

So a 3-acre plot near Eco Park’s Gate 4 has been cordoned off for the new section. This new wing would be near the proposed deer park. A 180-ft replica of the Eiffel Tower would also come up nearby. 

The seven sites are India’s Taj Mahal, Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer, Moai of Easter Island, Chile, the Great Wall of China, the Colosseum of Rome, Petra in Jordan and the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt.

“There are several lists of seven wonders but we have chosen a combination that would be most fascinating for visitors,” says artiste Rupchand Kundu, who is in charge of the design, execution and supervision of the project. Kundu had previously conceptualised the Children’s Park within Eco Park. 

“We shall place the Taj Mahal at the centre of the plot. The Great Wall would be on the left and Christ the Redeemer on the right. The height of all the structures would be within 40-ft (about the height of a four-storeyed building),” explains Kundu. “All the monuments would have iron structures and fibre glass moulding.”

“Our design work is in its final stages and work will begin in the first few days of 2016. We are targeting a six-month period to complete the work,” signed off Kundu.

Our bureau

 

Taj Mahal 

 

The original: This symbol of love was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It was built in 1632 on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra.

The replica: The monument will be 52-ft x 52-ft with a height of 36-ft. A garden and a water body, as seen around the original, will also be created and visitors will be able to enter the monument and see the interiors. 
 

Christ the Redeemer 

The original: The statue was installed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1931. It is 98-ft tall and stands on a 26-ft pedestal atop Corcovado Mountain. The outstretched arms of Jesus signify peace. A chapel has come up under the statue now that holds baptisms and weddings. 

The replica: The combined height of the statue and pedestal would be within 40-ft and it would be placed on a hillock for effect. The statue would be visible from the road outside. 
 

Moai

The original: These are monolithic human figures carved out by the natives of the Chilean Polynesian island named Easter Island. Created between 1250 and 1500, almost all the figures have overly large heads, said to represent deceased ancestors. Hundreds of these statues are lined along the coast of the islands. The tallest moai is 33-ft high and the heaviest one weighs 86 tonnes. So how the ancient people transported them around is a mystery. 

The replica: The emphasis here would be not on size but on quantity. The statues would be barely 15 to 16-ft high but there would be 20 to 25 of them scattered over the meadow, for effect. 
 

Great Wall of China 

The original: Several kings made parts of this wall, some as early as in the 7th century BC, which were then joined and is collectively known as the Great Wall of China. It traverses 21,196km in the east-west direction protecting the historical border of the land from foreign invasion. The most famous portions of the wall were built under Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.

The replica: The 100-ft long wall will zig-zag over undulating land and have three or four gateways. The height of the wall would be 30-ft and visitors would be able to walk atop the wall, from gateway to gateway, and click pictures. 
 

Colosseum 

 

The original: Rome’s Colosseum is the largest amphitheatre ever built. Construction had started in 72 AD and could hold up to 80,000 spectators. It would be used for gladiator fights, executions, drama etc. The monument has got ruined partially due to earthquakes and stone-robbers but is still considered one of the greatest architectural works ever.

The replica: The diameter of the colosseum would be 50-ft and height between 36 and 38-ft. There would not be any provision to sit in the gallery of the amphitheatre but there would be sculptures inspired by ancient Rome outside to create the ambience.
 

Petra 

The original: Petra is an ancient city in Jordan, full of rock-cut architecture. There are several mausoleums carved out of sandstone rock and Al Khazneh, the royal treasury, is the most famous. Legend has it that is served as the Egyptian pharaoh’s treasury during the time of Moses. Petra is also known as the Rose City due to the colour of the stones it is carved out of.

The replica: Visitors would be able to take a few steps into the palatial structures and look around. The architecture would be given stone-like finish with a pinkish hue.
 

Great Pyramid of Giza 
 

The original: Built over a period of 20 years, the pyramid was completed at around 2,560 BC. It was commissioned by pharaoh Khufu and stands at a height of 481-ft. It is the oldest and largest of the pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex of Egypt. There are three small pyramids surrounding the main one, each dedicated to the pharaoh’s three wives.

The replica: The central pyramid will be 42-ftx42-ft, standing at a height of 24-ft. There will be three smaller pyramids around it too. Visitors would be able to enter the main pyramid and see replicas of mummies inside.
 

Are you excited at the thought of getting to see these replicas?
Write to saltlake@abpmail.com or 
The Telegraph Salt Lake, 6, Prafulla Sarkar Street, Calcutta 700001