vikrant heritage museum
Grand old lady Vikrant may finally become maritime museum
MUMBAI, Dec 13/2003:
The decomissioned aircraft-carrier Vikrant may not end up in a scrap yard with the Centre and State deciding to jointly fund its conversion into a full-fledged maritime heritage museum.
The grand old lady of Indian Navy, which was decommissioned on January 31, 1997 had faced a rough weather, virtually entering the jaws of a scrapyard, as the Maharashtra Government inspite of its promise could not convert her into a full-fledged museum largely due to financial constraints.
The Western Naval Command (WNC), the sword arm of the Indian Navy, had converted her in to a floating museum pending the Maharashtra Government’s decision to permanently berth her and convert her into a museum-cum-helipad.
Addressing a news conference here, BJP member of Parliament, Kirit Somaiya, said that the Defence Ministry will contribute all the expenses of converting the ship into a museum and docking her at a permanent place, while the State Government would provide the necessary infrastructure which includes approach roads to the oyster rock site off the Mumbai harbour, the proposed final berth for Vikrant .
While the cash-strapped Congress-led Democratic Front (DF) Government has agreed to shell out Rs 15 crore towards the infrastructure development, Defence Minister George Fernandes has agreed to provide Rs 42 crore for the purpose, Mr Somaiya said.
Mr Somaiya said that the decision was taken Thursday night at a meeting convened by Mr Fernandes at New Delhi, attended by State Chief Secretary Ajit Nimbalkar, Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA Arun Kumar Mago, Vice-Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Arun Prakash, Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad and Minister of State for Tourism Bhavna Chilakia.
According to Mr Somaiya, a joint trust comprising representatives of the navy, defence, tourism, State Government, other agencies and experts will be formed to monitor the project. The Tourism Ministry, according to him, will promote ‘Vikrant’ as a "patriotic tourism" project.
He said that the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) had prepared a proposal for the project and the annual expenditure of operation, running and maintenance will be over Rs 4.5 crore while the receipt from sale of tickets, souvenirs and shops was expected to be over Rs 5.21 crore.
He said that the commercial use of the project will be decided after the second phase of the project. The modalities will be worked out before January 26.
The proposal to convert her into a museum was mooted by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, who is now the Lok Sabha Speaker.
However, the Navy had decided to auction it twice in 1999 and 2000, but Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray intervened and met Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, then a Vice-Admiral and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Naval Command and halted it.
The Centre also sanctioned some funds to Shiv Sena-BJP alliance Government headed by Narayan Rane, in 1999 for her upkeep.
When the Congress-NCP Democratic Front (DF) Government came to power, there was stiff opposition from the fisherfolk towards the project, however, the Deputy Chief Minister had held a series of meetings with them and resolved the matter. During this time, the then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, during an official visit to USA, had visited a museum aboard a carrier, and expressed confidence that the museum could be built on ‘Vikrant’.
However, when Sushilkumar Shinde took over the reins of the state, he hurled the ball back into the BJP-led Central Government’s Court.
The 20,000-tonne aircraft carrier Vikrant played a glorious role during the Indo-Pak war in 1971 that led to the liberation of Bangladesh, liberation of Goa in 1962 and the Kutch operations in 1965.
‘Vikrant’ which was formerly the royal navy ship ‘HMS Hercules,’ joined the Indian Navy in the sixties. Earlier seahawks used to fly from aboard the carrier, but in the eighties the flight deck was redesigned and made adaptable to jumpjet seaharriers. (UNI)
MUMBAI, Dec 13/2003:
The decomissioned aircraft-carrier Vikrant may not end up in a scrap yard with the Centre and State deciding to jointly fund its conversion into a full-fledged maritime heritage museum.
The grand old lady of Indian Navy, which was decommissioned on January 31, 1997 had faced a rough weather, virtually entering the jaws of a scrapyard, as the Maharashtra Government inspite of its promise could not convert her into a full-fledged museum largely due to financial constraints.
The Western Naval Command (WNC), the sword arm of the Indian Navy, had converted her in to a floating museum pending the Maharashtra Government’s decision to permanently berth her and convert her into a museum-cum-helipad.
Addressing a news conference here, BJP member of Parliament, Kirit Somaiya, said that the Defence Ministry will contribute all the expenses of converting the ship into a museum and docking her at a permanent place, while the State Government would provide the necessary infrastructure which includes approach roads to the oyster rock site off the Mumbai harbour, the proposed final berth for Vikrant .
While the cash-strapped Congress-led Democratic Front (DF) Government has agreed to shell out Rs 15 crore towards the infrastructure development, Defence Minister George Fernandes has agreed to provide Rs 42 crore for the purpose, Mr Somaiya said.
Mr Somaiya said that the decision was taken Thursday night at a meeting convened by Mr Fernandes at New Delhi, attended by State Chief Secretary Ajit Nimbalkar, Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA Arun Kumar Mago, Vice-Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Arun Prakash, Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad and Minister of State for Tourism Bhavna Chilakia.
According to Mr Somaiya, a joint trust comprising representatives of the navy, defence, tourism, State Government, other agencies and experts will be formed to monitor the project. The Tourism Ministry, according to him, will promote ‘Vikrant’ as a "patriotic tourism" project.
He said that the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) had prepared a proposal for the project and the annual expenditure of operation, running and maintenance will be over Rs 4.5 crore while the receipt from sale of tickets, souvenirs and shops was expected to be over Rs 5.21 crore.
He said that the commercial use of the project will be decided after the second phase of the project. The modalities will be worked out before January 26.
The proposal to convert her into a museum was mooted by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, who is now the Lok Sabha Speaker.
However, the Navy had decided to auction it twice in 1999 and 2000, but Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray intervened and met Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvendra Singh, then a Vice-Admiral and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Naval Command and halted it.
The Centre also sanctioned some funds to Shiv Sena-BJP alliance Government headed by Narayan Rane, in 1999 for her upkeep.
When the Congress-NCP Democratic Front (DF) Government came to power, there was stiff opposition from the fisherfolk towards the project, however, the Deputy Chief Minister had held a series of meetings with them and resolved the matter. During this time, the then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, during an official visit to USA, had visited a museum aboard a carrier, and expressed confidence that the museum could be built on ‘Vikrant’.
However, when Sushilkumar Shinde took over the reins of the state, he hurled the ball back into the BJP-led Central Government’s Court.
The 20,000-tonne aircraft carrier Vikrant played a glorious role during the Indo-Pak war in 1971 that led to the liberation of Bangladesh, liberation of Goa in 1962 and the Kutch operations in 1965.
‘Vikrant’ which was formerly the royal navy ship ‘HMS Hercules,’ joined the Indian Navy in the sixties. Earlier seahawks used to fly from aboard the carrier, but in the eighties the flight deck was redesigned and made adaptable to jumpjet seaharriers. (UNI)
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