After being saved from the junkyard earlier, IMS Vikrant, the naval museum ship may well land up there again.
After being saved from the junkyard earlier, IMS Vikrant, the naval museum ship may well land up there again.
At a recent joint meeting to discuss Vikrant’s future, JS Bedi, vice-admiral and flag officer commanding-in-chief of Western Naval Command told the state that the ship had started deteriorating from inside. “The ship is very old and floating well past its age,” said Bedi. “With no proper ventilation below decks, we do not know the exact status of the hull.”
The Navy has reasons to be disappointed. Though the state in 1999 gave Rs5 crore to repair Vikrant’s hull, nothing much has been done. The ship had to be dry docked for repairing the hull, Bedi said. If the government did not implement the project on time, the Navy would be forced to scrap the project, he said.
Secretary of special projects Manu Kumar Shrivastava said the state would call for bids after getting the study reports. The Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, has been asked to prepare a design and come up with estimates for setting up a jetty and platform. The Indian Registrar of Shipping has been asked to prepare a report on the repairs needed in the ship. “Since grouting (fixing Vikrant on dry ground) and repairs would be done by the successful bidder, we need the study to arrive at the total cost,” said Shrivastava. The reports are expected by January 2009.
Earlier, the BMC was to construct the main road to Oyster Rock where Vikrant was to be permanently docked. Now it wants to club it with the main bid.
In its detailed project report, Crisil, a research agency, has estimated the project to cost approximately Rs300 crore, double than the cost estimated in 1997. The plan allows the private company to use the helipad on Vikrant’s deck to run commercial helicopter services.
m_rajshri@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=spacer}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}