Visakhapatnam: Though a few others states have joined the list of claimants for Indian naval warship INS Viraat, Andhra Pradesh government has been a strong contender for getting it, the flagship of the Indian Navy, for converting it into a museum or a hotel in Vizag city. Talking to newsmen here on Friday in connection with the Navy Day-2016, Chief of Eastern Naval Command (ENC) Vice-Admiral H.C.S. Bisht said that despite the race from others states, AP might get the vessel, which is being decommissioned next year.
Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu himself is much interested to get Viraat to attract the tourists, he added. “In the recent meeting with the Chief Minister in Vijayawada, I have discussed the modalities and financial viabilities to convert INS-Viraat into a museum-cum-star hotel,” Mr Bisht said Speaking about the ongoing projects of the Navy, the chief of ENC said that India’s first indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant was still undergoing various sea trials and it would take more time for commissioning into the Navy. Arihant is capable of carrying nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, the class referred to as Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN).
Arihant was launched on July 26, 2009 on the occasion of the anniversary of Vijay Diwas (Kargil War) by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. After its launch, Arihant has gone through extensive tests and has to pass some more tests. INS Arihant is to be the first of the expected five in the class of submarines designed and constructed as a part of the Indian Navy’s secretive Advanced Technology Vessel project. Regarding Navy Alternative Operational Base (NAOB) at Rambilli which would be made submarine headquarters, Mr Bisht said land acquisition and resettlement iss-ues were being finalised by the state government. Replying a question on whether part of old-city would be demolished for creating a separate berth for INS Vikrant, Mr Bisht said that the berth was being built on south of the harbour and denied any demolition proposal.
For ENC, the year-2016 was most memorable year, beginning with the Inter-national Fleet Review, induction of anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kadmatt. But tragedy struck when IAF transport aircraft AN-32 plun-ged into sea killing all the 29 people, including eight civilian employees of NAD, Vizag. Committing to act east policy, a number of ENC ships participated in overseas deployment during the last one year, he added.
