Rs 100 Crore INS Vikrant Museum by 2002 

The estimated cost of converting the decommissioned aircraft carrier Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant into a maritime museum is Rs 100 crores. The project cost of the maritime museum has been estimated by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the agency hired by the state government to assess the suitability of docking India's first aircraft carrier at the Oyster Rocks, which is in the close vicinity of the Radio Club and Hotel Taj in south Mumbai. The decommissioned vessel is currently berthed in Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.

Around 200 workers, including skilled and highly skilled workers drawn from the Indian Navy, are carrying out the repairs and maintainence of the vessel. Rupees five lakh has already been given to the Navy for expertise and services rendered. Deputy Chief Minister, Chhagan Bhujbal, said that the Democratic Front government is planning to complete the project of converting the INS Vikrant into a maritime museum by the end of 2002.0

``The construction of the maritime museum project would be done by the private sector. A proposal would be placed before the State cabinet for its approval and clearance. Subsequently, global tenders will be floated a week after Dassera. Certain vital formalities linked to the project, including obtaining the requisite clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Civil Aviation for allowing helicopter sorties to operate from the decommissioned INS Vikrant are necessary. Other infrastructural work, like dredging of the site and digging a canal, construction of a jetty, setting up a convention centre and tourist office, constructing an approach road, etc will cause us to incur an estimated expenditure of Rs 60 crore. Finally, the collective cost of this novel project is estimated to increase to Rs 100 crore,'' said Bhujbal .

The entire project is being co-ordinated by the state Urban Development department, the Indian Navy, the Mumbai Port Trust, and local fishing community leaders under the overall supervision of Bhujbal.