Karwar: By signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the Indian Navy formally handed over the Tupolev TU 142M aircraft to the Karnataka government. The agreement signifies that the anticipated Aircraft Museum in Karwar may soon become a reality.
Up till 2017, the TU 142M served as the Indian Navy’s long-range maritime patrol aircraft and is said to have been a part of pivotal missions.
It can be recalled that the state government had intended to convert the space into an aviation museum and then-Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had even written to the Union Defence Minister in this regard.
Now, the proposal has been fulfilled owing to the efforts of Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner K Harish Kumar and Officer Commanding of the Karnataka Naval Area (FOK) Rear Admiral Mahesh Singh.
Speaking to reporters, Kumar said that the new musuem will be set up alongside the existing Chapal Warship Museum. “We propose to complete the work by December and get the museum inaugurated on Navy Day. The Navy is bearing the transportation and assembling costs. We will have to only spend on maintenance,” Harish Kumar said.
The maintenance costs are expected to go up to Rs 6 lakhs per month, However, the district administration is bound to recover these costs by charging an entry fee for visitors.
Expressing his gratitude to the Karwar pubic, Rear Admiral Mahesh Singh said, “The Tupolev aircraft have been gifted by the Navy to Visakhapatnam and Kolkata and now Karwar is the third city to receive it. The Sea Bird here is growing to become Asia’s largest base. The Navy is committed to the development of Karwar.”