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02 December 2024

Taj Mahal replica in Dubai - Taaj Arabia - to open in 2017

Artist impression of Taaj Arabia [SUPPLIED]

Published
By Parag Deulgaonkar2

Dubai’s Taaj Arabia – a 20-storey glass structure inspired by India's Taj Mahal – will open for the public by early 2017, according to a senior Link Global Group official.

“There has been a delay because we haven’t got certain approvals from Dubai Municipality. We are hopeful to getting them soon. We plan to starting construction by end-2014 and complete the work by end-2016,” company Director Arun Mehra told Emirates24|7 during Cityscape Global. The project was earlier planned to open early 2016.

“This is the first time that a huge glass structure is being built for a hotel in Dubai, which will have a banquet hall, retail and a night club at the basement. The design is quite unique and so there are a few challenges. We have worked with the municipality to incorporate a few changes and are optimistic that the project will be completed by 2016-end and open to public by early 2017.”

Taaj Arabia will be among the many new attractions that Dubai developers are building as the emirate gears up to host the Expo 2020 from October 2020 until April 2021, which will bring over 25 million visitors to the emirate.

Link Global plans a soft sales launch for the retail and residential components by year-end or early next year, Mehra said.

Funding in place

Asked about funding, he disclosed that the company has been in talks with institutional investors for Taaj Arabia, a 350-room, 5-star hotel, managed by India-based Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts.

“We are in talks with institutional investors for funding of Taaj Arabia. They have a keen interest in it as it is a unique project and a new wedding destination for the world.”

The developer has already paid money for the land.

Taaj Arabia is the centerpiece of Mughal Gardens development that will cover an area of 210,000 square feet. Taaj Arabia will have 2,000 underground car parks, multi-cuisine restaurants, night clubs and open air banqueting venues.

“There will be have a purpose-built wedding banquet hall to host large-scale weddings and a promenade along the hotel that will house eateries and showrooms retailing global brands,” Mehra added.

The master development will have a souk (market) that will have one million square feet of retail, as well as gold jewellery souk, wedding boutiques and 290 residential apartments.

Falcon City of Wonders in Dubailand, launched in 2005, was to feature structures based on architectural marvels of the world such as the Great Wall, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Pyramids, the Leaning Tower of Pisa among others.