Ain Dubai: world's tallest observation wheel to open this year

The spectacular structure, more than 250 metres high, will swing into action within months

Ain Dubai is to open to the public before the end of the year. Pawan Singh / The National

The world's tallest observation wheel is to open to the public before the end of the year.

Ain Dubai, which stands at more than 250 metres, is one of the emirate's most hotly-anticipated tourist attractions.

A development years in the making was initially due to swing into action last year, to coincide with the start of Expo 2020 Dubai.

Dubai Media Office stated on Tuesday evening that the impressive structure would be open in the final quarter of this year.

Expo 2020 Dubai will get under way in October, a year later than planned due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The wheel is made out of 192 cable wires, totalling 2,400 kilometres -- the distance between Dubai and Cairo. The weight of its rim is equal to 16 Airbus A380 superjumbos.

About 9,000 tonnes of steel was used in the construction of the wheel, which is 25 per cent more than the amount of iron used to build the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

About 30 buses could fit inside each leg supporting the wheel, which will carry 48 passenger capsules with a capacity of 1,900 people.

The wheel is located on Bluewaters Island, which opened in late 2018.