Decommissioned warship ‘Viraat’ to start last journey tomorrow

PTI, Sep 18, 2020, 5:49 PM IST

Decommissioned aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, ‘Viraat’, will begin its last journey on Saturday from Naval Dockyard here for Alang in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district where it will be dismantled.

According to an Indian Navy statement here, the historic carrier was supposed to leave for Alang on Friday, but its departure has been delayed by a day.

Some paperwork is still going on and it would take some more time. Hence, instead of today, ‘Viraat’ will be towed (to Alang) tomorrow (Saturday), it said.

The vessel had served the Indian Navy for 30 years before being decommissioned in 2017 in Mumbai.

It was the only warship in the Indian fleet which had served in the Royal Navy of the UK and later in the Indian Navy.

There were attempts to convert ‘Viraat’ into a museum or a restaurant, but none of the plans fructified.

Alang-based Shree Ram Group had won the bid for dismantling the ship. The company has its own high capacity tugs which will tow the vessel to Alang and it would take two days to complete the journey, a Navy official said.

Alang, a beach town, houses the world’s biggest ship breaking yard.