Abingdonboy
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2010
- Messages
- 29,597
- Reaction score
- 46
- Country
- Location
Sixteen years after she was decommissioned, the Indian Navy’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant — now known as Indian Museum Ship (IMS) Vikrant — is all set to go under the hammer. The reason for its impending e-auction is that the Maharashtra Government has failed to convert the erstwhile queen of Indian Navy into a permanent museum.
INS Vikrant, which the Indian Navy bought it from Royal Navy as part of Indo-British defence agreement in 1957, played a key role during the 1971 Indo-Pak War that led to the liberation of Bangladesh. She was decommissioned in 1997 after 36 years of service.
After she was decommissioned, a museum was opened on board the aircraft carrier and she came to be re-christened IMS Vikrant. However, the IMS did not find a permanent berth, with the Maharashtra Government — despite having evinced interest in converting her into a permanent museum facility — failing to deliver its promise.
Talking to mediapersons on board aircraft carrier INS Viraat, on the eve of Navy Day, Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Naval Command, said on Tuesday: “It is sad, but true. The e-auctioning process has been initiated... It pains me to tell you this”. “Personally speaking, I am sad, as I was among the last officers to have flown on board Vikrant,” Vice Admiral Sinha said.
“Till now we (Navy) managed her...but now the State Government has made it clear that it cannot support her further...so the MoD (Ministry of Defence) has decided to put her up for auction,” Vice-Admiral Sinha said. The disposal bid of IMS Vikrant on “As is where is basis” will open on the MSTC Limited’s e-commerce bidding site on December 18 at 12 noon and close on the same day at 4 pm; the bidders have been asked to deposit a pre-bid an earnest money deposit (EMD) of Rs 3.10 crore before participating in the e-auction.
INS Vikrant to go under hammer