LOK SABHA
No final decision
regarding the conversion of INS Vikrant into permanent Museum
has so far been taken. INS Vikrant which was commissioned on Feb
16, 1961 was de-commissioned on Jan 31, 1997. In June 1997, the
Government of Maharashtra proposed to Ministry of Defence that
they were willing to take over Vikrant for conversion into a maritime
Museum. The Defence Minister approved the transfer of Vikrant
to the Government of Maharashtra free of cost in October 1998.
The scrap value of ship, estimated at Rs. 18 crores, was also
condoned. In July, 1999 Government of Maharashtra paid Rs. 5 crores
for essential maintenance prior to transfer.
Government of
Maharashtra then got a project report prepared and also sought
to find a commercial partner for conversion of Vikrant into a
maritime museum cum helipad cum convention centre at a cost of
Rs. 124 crore. However, no further progress has been made by the
Government of Maharashtra in this regard. Meanwhile, on Nov 30,
2001, the Indian Navy converted certain parts of the ship into
a museum and the ship was towed to the Naval Anchorage, Mumbai
and opened to the public. A large number of visitors have since
visited INS Vikrant.
This information
was given by the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes in a written
reply to Shri Kirit Somaiya in Lok Sabha today.
