Ahmedabad’s iconic Patang Hotel starts revolving after revamp

Powered by a Japanese motor, the revolving structure that stands proudly on a prominent corner plot, adjacent to Nehru Bridge on the Ashram Road in Ahmedabad’s oldest commercial artery, has added more features this time — a table on the topmost level of the building offered on a premium and a garden restaurant on the ground level.

On Tuesday, coinciding with Dussehra, Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty inaugurated the renovated restaurant. Towering over 221 feet (almost the height of a 16-storey building) on the river bank, the unique structure was designed by the founder of city-based HCP Design Planning and Management Pvt Ltd Hasmukh Patel. Apparently, Hasmukh, who is the father of Bimal Patel — the architect of India’s new parliament building, drew inspiration from Chabutaro, a traditional tower-like structure to feed birds that are quite common in Ahmedabad, for Patang Hotel. Hasmukh passed away in 2018.

The restaurant offering a 360-degree view of Ahmedabad — both the old walled city in the east and the newer areas on the west — was no doubt once the tallest structure of the city.

However, the restaurant became non-operational in the aftermath of the 2001 earthquake. Real-estate and infrastructure player Dharmadev Group bought the restaurant in 2007 and operated it until 2019, when it began the restoration works. “Then, the Covid pandemic struck and the process got delayed,” says Umang Thakkar, Chairman and Managing Director of the Group.

When asked if time has affected the rotations of the restaurant, the CMD says, “In fact, the Japanese motor — built in 1983 — is still in excellent condition and continues to power the rotations of the restaurant. However, the interiors and exteriors had to be redone and we have added a few features.” The 110-seater restaurant completes a rotation in about 90 minutes.

Thakkar said the group has so far spent Rs 12 crore on the restoration work. The amount is expected to touch Rs 22 crore after the construction of a terrace restaurant on top of the revolving structure. “This restaurant will accommodate an additional 80 persons. The water tank on the terrace — the topmost point of the structure — will also have a table for four to five persons that will be reserved for special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. A capsule lift will take the guests to the top of the tank. This will be a “celebration table” and will be expensive,” he added.

In addition, a garden restaurant to serve authentic Gujarati thali will also be built at the ground level. A 14-course curated meal has been added to the menu of the revolving restaurant for the first month. Asian, modern Indian, continental and international cuisines will also be available, officials said.