Nicco Park is an amusement park in India, located in Salt Lake City, Kolkata. The park was created to attract tourists to the state by providing family-friendly recreation as well as educative entertainment. Nicco Park opened on October 13, 1991, and has since been referred to as theDisneyland of West Bengal. Presently, the 40 acre park is home to over 35 different attractions and has served over 24 million customers. Nicco Park also provides a "green" environment. Nicco Park's educative recreational initiative is the concept that families should not only have a fun-filled experience but also have learned something during their time at the park.[4] The grounds were designed to provide for educational recreation, and are dotted with displays. The entrance of every ride offers explanations of the scientific principles behind the working of the rides. The park's Solar Energy Village has been set up to demonstrate the functions of various non-conventional energy sources in community life. In keeping with its green theme, a Green House is also run by the Indo American Hybrid Seeds Ltd. selling various types of plants. Nicco Park has approximately thirty-five rides that include the Toy Train, Tilt-a-Whirl, Magic Carpet, Paddle Boat, Water Chute, Water Coaster, Flying Saucer, Pirate Ship, River Caves, Cyclone and Moonraker. The Giant Cyclone, added in 2003, is among Asia's largest. The ride is 750 meters in length, has seven loops and goes as high as 55 feet. Attractions such as the park's cable cars and Eiffel Tower provide panoramic views of the park from above. Natural attractions include a Rose Garden and a forty feet high waterfall. A decommissioned MIG-21 fighter aircraft from the Bagdogra Airbase is on display at Nicco Park, serving as an attraction with educational value. It was a gift from the Eastern Air Command in 2008. A large Food Park selling North Indian, Bengali, South Indian and Chinese fast food, and kiosks run by various restaurants of Kolkata. Sheroo Bazar and Souvenir Shop Wet-O-Wild are places where one can buy accessories such as t-shirts, coffee mugs and keychains. Nicco Park has undergone expansions throughout its existence. The park has also constructed a water park, Wet-O-Wild, inside the amusement park, There are also a rain dance performances. The park also has a 4-D movie theater. A bowling alley with restaurant and bar also exist within the park. Venues such as Octagon host corporate and non-corporate events. Adjacent to the park is the Nalban Boating Complex, offering boat tours in paddle boats, hovercraft or shikaras. Well maintained groves surround the four hundred acre lake. Opposite the Salt Lake Stadium is the Subhash Sarovar, one of the two man made lakes of Kolkata. Though anthropogenic activities around the lake such as washing of clothes and dumping of wastes has led to its deterioration, the tourism development corporation has taken up the responsibility for the beautification of the lake (2010). Nicco Parks and Resorts Limited (NPRL) have also diversified the park and as such Nicco parks (Jheel Meel) have been opened at neighbouring states Odisha in Bhubaneswar on December, 1998 and atJharkhand in Jamshedpur on June 2001. A composite park has also been set-up in the neighbouring country of Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2003. Recently there has also been a Memorandum of Understanding signed between NPRL and Intraco Group in order to set up a water park at a sea resort of Cox's Bazar at Chittagong, Bangladesh. Nicco Park has received various awards in the 20 years since its inception. Among its attractions, The Giant Cyclone has been awarded the 'Best Indigenously Manufactured Ride' of 2006-07 by the Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries, which also awarded Nicco Park's River Caves as the 'Most Innovative and Popular Ride' of 2009-10. Nicco Park is the first amusement park in India to be able to obtain the ISO 9001 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001 (Environment Management System) and the OSHAS 18000 (Safety Management System) certifications. The park also states that it is the first amusement park in the world to obtain ISO 9002 certification from a European Certifying Authority. It has also received the "ICC Corporate Excellence Award". The Indian Association of Amusement Parks & Industries have declared the River Caves at Nicco Park as the most popular ride and innovative ride of 2010. The SA 8000 (Social Accountability) certificate which they received from DNV on December 14, 2008, makes Nicco Park the first amusement park in India to receive the certification. It is also reported that they are the first amusement park in the world to receive the honour.

• published: 10 Oct 2013
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