In a major jolt to the ongoing “Save Vikrant” campaign, the Indian Navy told the Bombay High Court on Thursday that the long-decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Vikrant “cannot be considered safe in its present condition” and the decision to scrap the ship and the maritime museum on board was taken, after the Maharashtra Government failed to convert it in to the museum.
In affidavit filed in response to a PIl seeking that the long-decommissioned INS Vikrant be preserved and converted into a museum, Rear Admiral Shankar S Mathur, Chief Staff Officer (Personnel and Administration), Western Naval Commend (WNC) stated: “… A bare perusal of the facts will conclusively prove the sound reason behind the decision to scrap the ex-Vikrant. I Vehemently deny that the scrapping of ex-Vikrant is unwarranted and unjust. I further say that the ship cannot be considered safe in its present condition and all the efforts made by the Respondents have already been stated … it is only thereafter that the decision to scrap the ex-Vikrant has been taken”.
“INS Vikrant’s hull is over 70 years old. It was decommissioned on completion of its operational life…..At a certain stage, ships can no longer be economically refurbished or repaired. Maintenance and berthing of such ships requires heavy expenditure of public funds …. It would be in the best interest of the naval services to dispose of such ships as expeditiously as possible.” Rear Admiral Mathur stated in his affidavit.
Responding to the PIl filed by activist Kiran Paigankar challenging the decision to scrap the maritime museum project and auction the aircraft carrier, Rear Admiral Mathur stated: “....the Government of Maharashtra have been unable to convert the ship into a maritime museum. The Ministry of Defence and Indian Navy has given their full and active support and cooperation to the Maharashtra Government go convert the ship into a museum, however, the same has not yielded the desired results”.