Supreme Court stays dismantling of decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Viraat, after hearing a petition by a firm seeking to convert the ship into a maritime museum and multi-functional adventure centre.
INS Viraat was acquired from the United Kingdom in 1986 and has served in the Indian Navy. The world’s longest serving warship was decommissioned by the Indian Navy four years ago.
Mukesh Patel, Chairman of the Shree Ram Group at Alang in Bhavnagar district bought Viraat at an auction in July last year for Rs 38.54 crore.
It had reached the Alang ship breaking yard from Mumbai in September. Around 30 per cent dismantling work of Viraat has been completed and the entire vessel would be dismantled in nine months. There was also a social media campaign to save the warship and convert it into a museum.
Mumbai-based Envitech Marine Consultants had approached Mukesh Patel to acquire the ship for converting it into a museum, for which Patel had sought Rs 100 crore and also a No Objection Certificate from the Central government for the resale. But they could not acquire a NOC from the Central. The Supreme Court has now stayed the dismantling of Viraat after hearing a petition by the Mumbai-based firm.