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.
Author: Mani
D'Mello
Photographer: V
Prabhu
|