Vikrant sold to ship-breaker for Rs. 63.2 crore

[Koovie]

Sad news.... but probably makes more sense to scrap it....

Vikrant sold to ship-breaker for Rs. 63.2 crore

INS Vikrant (formerly HMS Hercules) was purchased by India from the United Kingdom in 1957.

The Navy last week sold the iconic INS Vikrant to a ship-breaking company here for Rs. 63.2 crore. The decommissioned aircraft carrier, which played a major role in the 1971 war and was retired in 1997, is now the property of IB Commercial Private Ltd.

INS Vikrant (formerly HMS Hercules) was purchased by India from the United Kingdom in 1957. It was operated from 1961 to 1997. (The other INS Vikrant is an Indian-built aircraft carrier which was launched in 2013.)

“As soon as we learnt that the ship was being auctioned, we bid for it. It is a prominent ship and we will move it out of the Mumbai harbour in the next 15 days,” manager Teslim Pavaskar told The Hindu on Tuesday.

The company plans to scrap it at the Darukhana ship-breaking yard here. Under the sale contract, the company should tow the ship out of the harbour in a month’s time.
A Defence Ministry source said the deal was in the nation’s interest. “The option of converting Vikrantinto a museum was not economically viable as it would have cost us around Rs. 500 crore.”

Other sources also said it was not fit enough to be converted into a museum. “The fire-fighting system on the vessel was damaged. Also, it had got rusted and had sustained structural damage,” another source said.

“The berthing-space constraints at the harbour will ease a bit with Vikrant being moved out. Around 700 feet of space will be liberated and this will facilitate navigation of naval vessels in the channel.”

In December 2013, a public interest litigation petition was filed in the Bombay High Court to preserve the ship and convert it into a museum.

But the Defence Ministry replied it was not feasible to convert the ship into a maritime museum. The court then dismissed the petition, and the Ministry set up an advisory board to sell the ship to the highest bidder.

Keywords: INS Vikrant dismantling, HMS Hercules, 1971 war

Vikrant sold to ship-breaker for Rs. 63.2 crore - The Hindu

 

[ExtraOdinary]

 

[janon]

We can't afford to be sentimental if it costs us a lot.


Aye tear her tattered ensign down,
Long has it waved on high,
And many an eye has danced to see
That banner in the sky;
Beneath it rung the battle shout,
And burst the cannon's roar;--
The meteor of the ocean air
Shall sweep the clouds no more.

Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,
Where knelt the vanquished foe,
When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,
And waves were white below,
No more shall feel the victor's tread,
Or know the conquered knee;--
The harpies of the shore shall pluck
The eagle of the sea!

Oh, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave;
Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the god of storms,
The lightning and the gale!'

('Old Ironsides' by Oliver Wendell Holmes)

 

[jaiind]

Instead of breaking this ship into pieces, why cant govt make it as a ship into a museum of 1971 war ?? Govt could get more money than scraping these ship...

 

[That Guy]

Instead of breaking this ship into pieces, why cant govt make it as a ship into a museum of 1971 war ?? Govt could get more money than scraping these ship...

Read the article, it would cost way too much to convert it into a museum.

 

[scholseys]

Good decision by the govt. of India. The money from scrapping this ship will help to tackle the hunger problem in India.

 

[Missile]

Museum wala idea acha hai. Somewhere near Bombay.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Instead of breaking this ship into pieces, why cant govt make it as a ship into a museum of 1971 war ?? Govt could get more money than scraping these ship...

I would have liked to see this turned into a museum for cultural value however it should have been a private entity who took over the ship's ownership and converted it and maintained it themselves or at the very least the Ministry of museums in India there's NO WAY the MoD should have been expected to foot the bill for this so, as sad as it is to see this historical ship go, the right decision was made.

Quite a loss to India.....

 

[armchairPrivate]

It is a good looking boat. Sad to see it get torn up.
It would be awesome to turn it into a artificial reef for diving enthusiast.

 

[thesolar65]

Wise decision.

 

[shree835]

Good decision by the govt. of India. The money from scrapping this ship will help to tackle the hunger problem in India.

Come here with Ilish fish and cook it for us..Ilish Machher Jhol..it will help a lot.

 

[T90TankGuy]

Sad to see her go but the right decision was taken.

 

[janon]

Good decision by the govt. of India. The money from scrapping this ship will help to tackle the hunger problem in India.

Is that how Bangladesh tackles its hunger problem, by scrapping its old aircraft carriers? Oh wait, they never had an aircraft carrier and never will. And if they had any money or food or weapons or pride, they wouldn't have needed India and this ship to give them a country.

Well, I suppose B'desh navy can sell its fishing boats to survive until they pole vault into India.

 

[IND151]

Sad but I think the costs of maintaining her was too great.

 

[third eye]

She did well & served us in her time.

Now, instead of holding on to her and attempting to make a mummy out of her, let her go.