The amusement park operator Wonderla Holidays Ltd plans to set up a Rs. 350-crore park in Chennai has hit a roadblock in land acquisition due to a Madras High Court ban on conversion of wetlands last month.
The firm has three parks in Kochi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, and had planned to open the fourth in Chennai in FY19. The 55-acre park was supposed to come up on Grand Southern Trunk Road, OMR.
In September 2015, the firm had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government to set up an park by 2019, provided the required land is acquired.
The company was in the process of acquiring land for the project at the cost of Rs. 65-85 crore. However, it has now hit a roadblock with the recent Court ban on conversion of wetlands. “We were ready to acquire the land and register it. However, the HC order on wetlands has pushed back our plans,” Arun K. Chittilappilly, managing director, Wonderla Holidays Ltd, told The Hindu .
Last month, the Court had clarified that the ban on conversion of waterbodies for any other purposes “would also equally” apply to wetlands. The clarification was made on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition moved by S.D. Premchand, former Chairman of Maduranthakam Municipality, Kancheepuram district.
Mr. Chittilappilly said the firm is hoping that the order would be reversed and that they are closely studying the order to decide its course of action.
‘The park was proposed to open with 45 signature land and water rides along with a few new marquee rides / attractions.
