The Universal Studios theme park in Osaka

Disneyland is knocking on Calcutta?s doors. Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, Paramount Studios, Hollywood, California, Disneyland International, Paris, FantaSea, Singapore? Now, Calcutta could Gyro Swing its way into the global theme-park carousal with its own Rs 500-crore amusement centre, sprawled across all of 60 acres.

The Unitech group, which has already made big-bang forays into the city?s housing and IT flanks and is also developing a designer golf resort, has just announced a five-year plan for the mega amusement park.

?We are scouting for land and the options are wide open. Anywhere around Calcutta, which has good connectivity, should suffice and we will shortly make a detailed presentation to chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. It will put the city on the world leisure tourism map,? Ajay Chandra, head, business development, Unitech, told Metro from Gurgaon on Wednesday.

To be developed by Bengal Unitech Universal Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, the park will be designed by Toronto-based architecture firm Forrec Ltd, which has a client list comprising Disney, Universal Studios in China and the US, Paramount Studio City, Melbourne, and Hard Rock Caf?, Orlando. Forrec is also doing Unitech?s gigantic entertainment city in Noida.

The Calcutta property will be segregated into three distinct zones. The Hub, an urban entertainment zone, will have a 500,000-sq-ft ?impulse retail? component with boutiques, multiplexes, redemption games, cafes, pubs, nightclubs, restaurants?

Worlds of Wonder is the rides section, divided into the standout Children?s Zone, the Teen Zone and the Family Zone. All rides will be imported from suppliers for the likes of Disney, Universal and Six Flags. Thus, the Boomerang, Invertigo and Suspended Looping Coaster will come from Vekoma and the River Rapid Ride from Intamin of Switzerland.

Calypso Bay, the water park, will offer a lush tropical environment with the Lush Lazy River and the giant wave pools. The amusement park will follow the ?highest globally accepted safety standards? of DIN (Deutshes Institut F?r Normung), stressed Chandra.