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Appu Ghar

Coordinates: 28°37′01″N 77°14′36″E / 28.616813°N 77.243359°E / 28.616813; 77.243359
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Appu Ghar
LocationNew Delhi, India
Coordinates28°37′01″N 77°14′36″E / 28.616813°N 77.243359°E / 28.616813; 77.243359
Opened19 November 1984
Area15.5 acres (63,000 m2)
WebsiteOfficial Website of Appu Ghar

Appu Ghar was India's first and most popular amusement park. It was established in 1984 to commemorate the 1982 Asian Games, inaugurated on 19 November 1984 by the then Prime Minister of India, Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Appu Ghar was located in New Delhi India in the famous Pragati Maidan on Mathura Road, and was spread over 15.5 acres (63,000 m2) of land.

Mascot and name

Appu Ghar was named after its mascot, an elephant named "Appu". "Ghar" means house in Hindi. Appu was a live elephant mascot that became the star of the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi.

History

Inaugurated on 19 November 1984 on the occasion of the birthday of former Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, Appu Ghar quickly became a crowd puller for the residents of the Indian capital as well as those of neighbouring towns. It was formally opened under the aegis of International Amusement Limited (IAL), with its registered office at Gate No. 4, Pragati Maidan.

The India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO), which owns Pragati Maidan, leased the land to IAL for three years in 1984 to run and operate Appu Ghar. Subsequently, ITPO kept on extending the lease to IAL till November 1999, when it last expired.

In 1999, ITPO asked IAL to vacate the land, at which point the private firm sought legal arbitration with ITPO to continue with Appu Ghar. Meanwhile, with the Supreme Court of India urgently needing land for extension and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for construction of the Delhi Metro's Pragati Maidan Metro Station, the Government allocated the land to both the parties. In 2007 the Supreme Court finally ratified the Government's decision to hand over the land, paving the way for Appu Ghar's eventual closure on 17 February 2008.

Appu Ghar group

The Appu Ghar group has set on its next mission by looking towards the millennium city, Gurgaon. Being awarded over 60 acres of land, it is in the process of building a state-of-the-art water park, family entertainment centre, and a shopping arcade which will come to life by the summer of 2014.

Appu Ghar Group also has a mix of amusement and commercial activities in Noida, The Great India Place & Worlds of Wonder, a similar project on 62 acre parcel of land in Rohini- Metro Walk & Adventure Island. And finally Appu Ghar Jaipur, a 300-acre project currently under construction in Rajasthan.

Major attractions

The major attractions at Appu Ghar in Pragati Maidan were:

  • Various rides for children
  • Swinging Sensations - This part features several rides and games like the Big Splash, the Roller Coaster, the Columbus Jhoola, the Giant Wheel, My fairy Lady and others.
  • Games on snow like skiing, sledding, ice boating and others
  • A water park spread over an area of 3.5 acres (14,000 m2)
  • Swimming pool
  • The Tower of Thrills
  • Hi Waves
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