Its need as a communication hub was always under question. The details of funding, awarding of contracts and construction – all have been shrouded in a veil of ambiguity.
Now, at the mouth of the inauguration, it stands on the Colombo skyline as yet another reminder of the financial imprudence by the then regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa. The former president’s wanderlust for his Chinese masters is not lost on the country, with the country now paying the price in more ways than one.
The utility of the tower as a communication facility has been questioned. Broadcasters say the structure cannot cover the island nor improve current transmissions from a mountain in the center of Sri Lanka.
State-owned Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company said it has decided to open its observation deck to visitors from Thursday and earn ticket sales to minimize losses.
Sri Lanka is going through its worst economic crisis in modern history, and the huge money owed to China is partly to blame for the situation.
The inauguration of the tower could not have come at a worse time for Rajapaksa, considered close to Sri Lanka and China.
The tower, financed by a Chinese loan, is seen as a “vanity project” more than anything. This has become a symbol of the Rajapaksa clan’s closeness with Beijing and may possibly add to their growing unpopularity.
This would likely finance Sri Lanka’s growing “white elephant” projects with Chinese loans—such as the Hambantota port or Matala Rajapakse airport.