Delhi’s Jurassic Park captivates children

Delhi’s new waste-to-art park at Sarai Kale Khan features metallic replicas of dinosaurs that move, emanate sounds and are part of rides to enthrall children.

The park, which features over 40 dinosaur replicas made of scrap material and recreated as large “play sculptures”, is built especially for children. But since inauguration, it has also become an amusement site for the grown-ups.

A part of the second phase of the Waste-to-Wonder Park, it is free for children and is dotted with amusing sculptures of Tyrannosaurus, Spinosaurus and Stegosaurus, some scary enough to make toddlers run away. There is a slide straight out of the big Giganotosaurus’s belly and a used car squeezed under the gigantic reptile’s feet.

This park is adjacent to Delhi’s first Waste-to-Wonder Park that has replicas of seven wonders of the world.

Children could be seen playing with interactive replicas, slides, and jumping nets.

“The idea behind the park was to have some interactive elements. We have designed 15 different types of dinosaur. Each one is unique,” says Vinit Barot, the main sculptor behind the park.

“It took us over six months. We had a team of around 10 artists. We used crushed cars, industrial scrap, MCD poles among other things to create these dinosaur replicas,” he added on the kind of waste used in making the replicas.

The park cost an estimated Rs 13.72 crore to build and used around 300 tonnes of metallic scrap.

“My son is really enjoying the rides and all the interactive activities in the park. However, he got scared of the moving dinosaur replicas,” says Shashank, father of a two-year-old.

Ankita Sen, a student of medicine, finds the park very amusing.

“The fact that these replicas are just made of scrap is really amusing for me. Even the wonders of the world, just adjacent to it, are very beautiful.

“I really loved this dinosaur with a car in its big belly. I got clicked sitting inside the car with my two friends,” she adds.

Delhi has several waste-to-art parks.

MCD has so far developed three waste-to-art theme parks — the Waste-to-Wonder Park, Bharat Darshan Park featuring replicas of Indian monuments and Shaheedi Park at ITO which is designed as an open air museum featuring replicas and scenes from India’s freedom struggle.

Apart from these, another park with sculptures of national animals of G20 nations made with scrap metals was opened in September 2023, at Chanakyapuri by NDMC.

Entry fees for Delhi’s Waste-to-Art Park vary based on age and day of the week. On weekdays, adults are charged Rs 50, while on weekends, the fee increases to Rs 100. For children aged 3 to 12, weekday entry costs Rs 25, escalating to Rs 50 on weekends. Senior citizens and toddlers aged 0-3 enjoy free entry. The park is closed on Mondays and operates from 11 am to 11 pm on weekends.