Work on assembling the decommissioned TU 142 fighter aircraft to convert it into a museum is expected to begin soon at the site earmarked for it on the Beach Road, to inaugurate it by August 15.
The inauguration was planned to coincide with the official Independence Day function of the state government proposed in the city.
However, the Independence Day function is now being planned elsewhere, and the TU 142 inauguration is likely to take place ahead of it, it is learnt.
Retired aircraft engineers and other personnel worked for nearly four weeks at the naval airbase, INS Dega, disassembling the aircraft. An internationally reputed agency had been awarded the work on the aircraft museum. The disassembling itself was said to have cost ₹3.5 crore.
The aircraft, after its decommissioning, flew to Visakhapatnam after the Andhra Pradesh Government evinced interest in converting it into a museum. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu received it at a special function from the Naval authorities.
“Only formal inauguration will take place and the remaining work will continue,” VUDA vice-chairman P. Basanth Kumar told The Hindu .
“Transporting the disassembled parts to the site will be completed by this week-end after which assembling them will be taken up,” Mr. Basant Kumar said.
After the formal inauguration, it would take another two to three months to complete the work.
Escalator and aerobridge
“We are planning to set up an escalator and an aerobridge for entry of visitors to the aircraft as it would be difficult to climb up to the elevation, and exit by a staircase,” he said.
All the spares of TU 145 such as propellers and wings would be put on exhibition with an audio-visual show explaining it, he said.
A souvenir shop, coffee shop, and video games would also be opened outside the aircraft.
The museum is being set up by the Tourism Department at an estimated cost of ₹10 crore. VUDA has been assigned the supervising responsibilities.
