A full-fledged maritime museum aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier IMS Vikrant will finally see the light of day, with the Maharashtra state government likely to finalise the bids for the project by April. The government had announced a proposal to convert the Old Lady of the Indian Navy into a museum on the very day she was decommissioned, on January 31, 1997. Manukumar Srivastava, secretary, urban development and special projects said, “Five bidders—HCC Infrastructure Ltd, Srei Infrastructure Ltd, Kalpataru Power, Dhoot Developers and Zoom Developers— were asked to submit financial bids after they qualified in the technical bids round. The project is being executed on the build-own-transfer basis and financial bids will be finalised before April 2010.’’ Maharashtra Urban Infrastructure Development Company Limited (MUINFRA) is implementing the project. Ajay Saxena, public-private-partnership expert and officer on special duty, MUINFRA, said, “The successful bidders will be given six months to achieve financial closure. We will give a time-frame of 36 months to the succesful bidder to complete work on the project.’’ The ship will grouted off Oyster Rock near the Radio Club alongside the Gateway of India. “A 1.5 km road, including the jetty, will be constructed to provide access to visitors to the museum which will be located on Deck 3 of the ship. The project has been designed in such a way that the visitor will be straightway led to the maritime museum once he enters the ship,’’ an official said. The entire project is expected to cost approximately Rs 450 crore. And if all goes according to plan, the state government will not have to shell out any amount as viability gap funding for the project. Saxena said, “The bidders have been asked to submit two separate bids—for 35 years and 50 years. Bids for the 35-year-period will be opened first. A bidder willing to pay highest premium to the government, will qualify first for the project. If the bids are not satisfactory then bids for the 50-year-period will be opened. A bidder quoting a premium or seeking least sum of money as viability gap funding will have an edge in the qualification process.’’ The bidders are also expected to provide a modern security system, including a team to help evacuate people in an emergency or terrorist attack. The IMS Vikrant has 2.60 lakh sq. feet of space, of which 50,000 sq feet has been earmarked exclusively for the museum. The remaining space can be commercially exploited by the bidder. Artefacts for the museum will be provided by the Indian Navy. “The navy have agreed to upgrade their artefacts every three years so as to keep visitors interested in the project.’’ A study carried out by the CRISIL estimates nearly 2,500 visitors may visit the museum daily. Saxena further said, “The bidders will be allowed to commercially exploit the premises to earn revenue by opening retail outlets and eateries, with permission from the concerned department.’’ However, he clarified that the operator will not be allowed to open a casino or dance bar or anything prohibited by the law of the land.
The Old Lady’s Grand Journey: ‘IMS Vikrant’, formerly the British royal navy ship ‘HMS Hercules,’ formally joined the Indian fleet at Mumbai on November 3, 1961, when she was received at Ballard Pier by prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and other highranking dignitaries. The ship was bought by India in 1957, but for four years had to undergo refitting before being commissioned in the Indian Navy. Vikrant was India’s only aircraft carrier for over 20 years, but by the early 1990s she was effectively out of service because of her poor condition. Often referred as the Old Lady of the Indian Navy, Vikrant was decommissioned on January 31, 1997. The proposal to convert her into a museum was mooted by the state govenment on the day she was decommissioned. The 20,000-tonne aircraft carrier played a glorious role during liberation of Goa in 1962, Kutch operations in 1965 and the Indo-Pak war in 1971 that led to the liberation of Bangladesh.
New Uses For Old Warhorse:
Helipad Besides gaping at artefacts in the museum, tourists can get a taste of flying at the IMS Vikrant. Ajay Saxena, officer on special duty, MUINFRA said, “There are plans to start helicopter rides to add thrill quotient to the museum. Moreover, the government also intends to construct a heliport in South Mumbai. The flight deck on the ship can also be converted to provide parking facilities to firms keen on providing such services to corporate honchos and VIPs.’’ The operator will be allowed to fix the rate
Retail The operator can rent a section of the space on board of the ship for retail. High property prices and a space crunch have deprived South Mumbai of the mall boom. The abundant space on the ship could be ideal for retailers, especially those selling high-end goods. Says Saxena, “The population with perhaps the biggest purchasing power in India is located this side of town. But there is an absence of a proper shopping outlet in the vicinity. A large number of visitors to the museum may surely turn out to be potential customers, thus making this place even more vibrant’’
Entertainment A visit to the museum is an event people would like to make the most of. The ship provides options to start a theatre/auditorium onboard. Besides, the bidder could also cater to a young clientele by opening a gaming centre or a theme park. Another option to draw in the crowds of varied interests would be an art gallery, officials said
Luxury Clubs & Cafes Many Mumbaikars are keen to enrol as members of prestigous clubs but high membership fees and long waits have made these highprofile clubs virtually out of bounds. To address this need, the ship could host high-end clubs. Moreover, a part of the ship can be earmarked to provide recreating facilities like health spa, cafes, restaurants and lounge bars
Luxury Hotel & Multi-Purpose Hall There are few heritage luxury hotels in Mumbai, a market that begs to be explored. The government thinks there a large number of people who will be keen on staying in a warship at sea. Saxena said, “Occupancy levels are almost above 70% in South Mumbai hotels, so setting up a hotel on the ship can surely work. The bidder can also make use of the space for conventions, weddings and other parties. The flight deck is often used for hosting corporate events, dinner parties in many international warships’’
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