UpdateBot at 20:01, 9 April 2022

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{{for|the water park in Gurgaon|Appu Ghar (Gurgaon)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox amusement park
| name = Appu Ghar
| image =
| caption =
| resort =
| location = [[New Delhi]]
| location2 = [[Delhi]]
| location3 = [[India]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|28.616813|N|77.243359|E|display=it}}
| theme = [[Animal theme park|Animal]], [[water park|water]], [[winter sports]], [[Haunted House (attraction)|Haunted house]]
| homepage =
| owner = International Amusement Limited
| general_manager = Gian Vijeshwar
| operator =
| opening_date = {{Start date|1984|11|19|df=yes}}
| closing_date = {{End date|2008|02|17|df=yes}}
| previous_names =
| season = Year-round
| area = {{convert|15.5|acre|m2}}
| rides = 22 (as of 2006)<ref name="apu"/>
| water_rides = 4<ref name="apu"/>
| slogan =
| footnotes =
| visitors = 1,825,000 (2006)<ref name="apu">{{cite web |title=Official Site of Appu Ghar |url=http://www.appughar.com/about_appughar.htm |website=appughar.com |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060225205607/http://www.appughar.com/about_appughar.htm |archivedate=25 February 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

'''Appu Ghar''' was an [[amusement park]] operated by International Amusement Limited, located in [[Pragati Maidan]], [[New Delhi]], India.<ref name="eco times">{{cite news |title=Appu Ghar, the family entertainer, closes down |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/appu-ghar-the-family-entertainer-closes-down/articleshow/2790007.cms |publisher=The Economic Times |date=17 February 2008}}</ref> It was spread over {{convert|15.5|acre|m2}} of land and was India's first amusement park.<ref name="aa">{{cite news|date=17 June 2017|title=Delhi: Free rides for Class 10 toppers in park|publisher=The Asian Age|url=https://www.asianage.com/metros/delhi/170617/delhi-free-rides-for-class-10-toppers-in-park.html}}</ref> It was established in 1984 to commemorate the [[1982 Asian Games]], and it was inaugurated on 19 November 1984 by then-[[Prime Minister of India]], [[Rajiv Gandhi]].<ref name="the hindu bl">{{cite news|last1=Pratap|first1=Rashmi|date=20 June 2014|title=For amusement parks in India, there is a lot of money riding on a young population that is determined to seek out entertainment & willing to spend on it|publisher=The Hindu Business Line|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/work/The-fun-has-just-begun/article20863774.ece}}</ref> The park closed down in 2008 after a legal ruling allocating the land for government use.

== Name ==
Appu Ghar was named after its [[mascot]], an elephant named "Appu", while "Ghar" means house in [[Hindi]]. Appu was a live elephant mascot that became the star of the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi.<ref name="eco times" />

== History ==
Then-Indian [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]], [[Indira Gandhi]], assigned the task to create India's first amusement park to International Amusement Ltd. (IAL) headed by Narinder Malik, a Sweden-based [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|NRI]] and Gian Vijeshwar,<ref name="eco times" /> another Sweden-based NRI with an aim to provide free access to [[Social privilege|underprivileged children]].<ref name="the hindu bl" /> It was inaugurated on 19 November 1984 by [[Rajiv Gandhi]] then Indian Prime Minister, after his mother Indira Gandhi's [[Assassination of Indira Gandhi|assassination]] on the occasion of her birthday, this was his first public appearance.<ref name=ht1>[http://www.hindustantimes.com/interactives/delhi-independence-day-timeline/ "Delhi in 70 years."], [[Hindustan Times]], 15 August 2017.</ref> 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 Ltd. (IAL), with its registered office at Gate No. 4, [[Pragati Maidan]]. Narinder Malik organized all machines along with their installation at Pragati Maidan with the help of Surinder Malik as engineer, architect Sharad Dass and builder Suresh Chawla under a very tight schedule due to the commitment of a 14 November opening, the total park was set up and implemented in 3 months which was a record and was inaugurated as planned on Nov 14 1984.

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 Ghara. sequently, ITPO kept on tending 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]] urgent needing land for extension along with 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 from IAL, paving the way for Appu Ghar's eventual closure on 17 February 2008.<ref>{{cite news |title=Appu Ghar, adieu |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080218/delhi.htm |publisher=Tribune India |date=18 February 2008}}</ref><ref name="eco times" />

==Appu Ghar Group==

The Appu Ghar Group/International Amusement Ltd. also has a mix of amusement and commercial activities in Noida, [[The Great India Place]] and [[Worlds of Wonder (amusement park)|Worlds of Wonder]]; Adventure Island a similar project on a 62-acre parcel of land in [[Metro Walk (Delhi)|Metro Walk]], [[Rohini, Delhi|Rohini]], Delhi. 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<ref name="state">{{cite news |last1=Kumar |first1=Rakesh |title=(Un)fair grounds |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/features/un-fair-grounds-1489003709.html |publisher=The Statesman |date=8 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="times news">{{cite news |last1=Nair |first1=Harish |title=Supreme Court complex grows by 12 acres, 6 new blocks inaugurated |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/supreme-court-complex-grows-by-12-acres-new-6-blocks-inaugurated/455385 |publisher=Times Now News |date=17 July 2019}}</ref> 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 [[Ferris wheel|Giant Wheel]], My Fair Lady and others.
* Games on snow like [[skiing]], [[sledding]], [[Iceboating|ice boating]] and others
* A water park spread over an area of {{convert|3.5|acre|m2}}
* Swimming pool
* The Tower of Thrills
* Hi Waves
*Haunted House

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215212627/http://www.appughar.com/|date=December 15, 2014|title=Official website}}
{{Amusement Parks in India}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Delhi]]
[[Category:Amusement parks in India]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in Delhi]]
[[Category:2008 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Defunct amusement parks]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Delhi]]
[[Category:Water parks in India]]
[[Category:Amusement parks opened in 1984]]
[[Category:Amusement parks closed in 2008]]

Appu Ghar - Revision history

UpdateBot at 20:01, 9 April 2022