“Am I still alive?,” was the first reaction of students who were taken on a joyride on India’s first-ever reverse looping roller coaster at a speed of about 70 kmph. Named as Recoil, this high-tech roller coaster was thrown open to the public at the Wonderla amusement park, Bidadi, on Monday.
Imported from Netherlands, it has two track ramps that go up to a height of 40 metres. The train first climbs one ramp and accelerates to 80 kmph in one second, before encountering a ‘cobra roll’ and a ‘loop’ in the tracks, climbing the second ramp, again to a height of 40 metres. The rider gets to experience all this again, this time it’s backwards.
Actor Upendra flagged off the first ride of Recoil and his wife Priyanka unveiled the water slide attraction Korneto. Here, the riders accelerate down a steep 1.5-metre-diameter tunner at a speed of 35 kmph into the mouth of a large 12-m diameter funnel. The momentum allows the riders travel high up the opposing wall of the funnel and experience momentary weightlessness.
Later, Arun K Chittilappilly, MD, Wonderla Holidays told reporters that the ride on the Recoil and Korneto would come in the same package costing Rs 1,150 per head in summer and Rs 920 in the off-season. There is a discount of 20% to 40% for college and school students. Last year, the amusement park saw footfalls of 1.3 million, which is about 4,000 persons each day on an average, he said.
Upendra said that he often visits the place with his two children. Priyanka appreciated the management for keeping it clean and green.
