Jhoolaghar’s ferris wheel dismantled, locals mourn loss of iconic structure

MUSSOORIE: Jhoolaghar’s iconic ferris wheel, one of the only few manually-rotated ones left in the country, was dismantled on Friday to pave the way for an underground shopping complex. The over 25-foot-tall ferris wheel was installed at Jhoolaghar, near Mall Road, nearly five decades ago. Jhoolaghar, intended as a children's park, remains a frequently visited spot by tourists.The land was donated by a royal family of Lucknow to nagar palika in 1940s to build a children's park.
Talking to TOI, Naveen Rastogi, 35, one of the four men who operated the manual wheel said, “I refused to stop the ferris wheel but there was little more that I could do. The entire area was dug up. It’s the loss of a dear memory. I have been told that ferris wheel will be put up at another location and shopkeepers will be relocated. But promises need to be fulfilled.”
The park, which once boasted of four to five rides, has now lost its last standing attraction. Street photographers, sellers of various snacks, and a number of small restaurants in the area are a worried lot as they face an uncertain future.
Manoj Bhandari, one of the professional photographers who had set up a shop at the spot, said, “Lots of tourists used to come here. The season has just begun. In previous years, I would have been making money in this season but now everything seems uncertain.”
The redevelopment plan was inaugurated by CM Harish Rawat at a public function in 2015. Atul Gupta, assistant engineer, Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) had earlier said that detailed remodelling plans have been shared with the shopkeepers and the park would be handed over to municipal council in two to three months.
Author and photographer Ganesh Saili while mourning the loss of the ferris wheel, alleged, “It’s nothing but a land-grabbing technique.”