Move to steer INS Viraat to city picks up speed

VISAKHAPATNAM: With an eye on berthing claim over INS Viraat, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the AP Tourism Department and Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (Vuda) to complete a feasibility study in the next two weeks for berthing the aircraft carrier at Vizag.
Following a closed-door meeting held with senior officials of the Indian Navy including flag officer commanding-in-chief of Eastern Naval Command vice-admiral HCS Bisht and AP government officials, the CM directed the tourism department and Vuda to identify the final location for berthing the legendary aircraft carrier, senior government officials told TOI.
At the same time, he asked the two government agencies to estimate the cost for berthing the aircraft carrier and to ascertain if any dredging work needs to be undertaken or breakwaters have to be constructed for the project.
"The feasibility study would identify the ideal location for the carrier and how much cost the project would entail," said a senior AP government official adding that the main purpose of the bringing the carrier to Vizag and how it will be useful for the city should also be explained. He said, "The feasibility study will also include plans of different commercial aspects such as shopping mall, hotel, convention centre and museum, which can come up once the carrier is decommissioned."
Sources said Indian Navy officials of the Eastern Naval Command assured the CM of extending all technical support required for the project.
However, another senior official said, "Four locations had already been identified in Vizag, but we need to get access to the carrier for our consultants to decide on various aspects of the project. We have not yet received any communication as to when the carrier will be decommissioned, because only after our consultants are able to see it, they can get an idea of the total area available for different purposes."
The aircraft carrier had set sail for the last time under its own propulsion from Mumbai to Kochi in the last week of July. INS Viraat was commissioned into the Indian Navy on May 12, 1987 and operated Sea Harrier, Seaking 42B, Seaking 42C and Chetak as its main air elements and has spent nearly 2250 days at sea sailing 5.88 lakh nautical miles, according to reports. The aircraft carrier has participated in various international joint exercises such as Malabar with the US Navy, Varuna with the French Navy and Naseem-Al-Bahar with the Oman Navy.
Vizag already hosts the Kursura Submarine Museum on the Beach Road. The Kursura Submarine had served for 31 years under the Indian Navy, before being decommissioned in February 2001.