In the run-up to the State government’s move to set up a maritime heritage museum at Mamallapuram near here, the turnkey operator is all set to tow the decommissioned submarine INS Vagli from the Chennai Port to its final destination on Wednesday where it will be permanently showcased.
It was exactly a year ago the decommissioned submarine arrived from the Visakhapatnam Naval base. Since then, it is being docked at the Chennai Port. On Wednesday, the submarine will begin its final journey to Mamallapuram.
The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has handed over the towing, beaching, hauling and installation work to the turnkey operator. It would take roughly five hours to tow the submarine to Mamallapuram. Using airbags, INS Vagli would be brought closer to the shore within a week’s time and thereafter it will be erected on a specially created platform. The museum will come up on a 30-acre land abutting the beach near the Shore Temple.
Talking to The Hindu , a senior official said: “It took nearly a year for the contractors to beach the submarine in Visakhapatnam, even though the distance between land and shore is shorter. We are learning from their experience and are trying to set up the museum in a much shorter time. The themes for the museum and concept was finalised recently by the Tourism Secretary.”
According to the sources, the proposed museum will showcase various aspects of the maritime history of the State from the Sangam era till the end of the 20th century AD. It would also have sub-sections for each type of technology such as papyrus ships, palmyrah ships, steam ships, wooden ships, steel and diesel ships, buoys communications, light houses and Plimsoll Line for steel ships. To give a real life feeling to the visitors, three-dimension shows and simulators are planned.
“If everything goes as per plan, we will have the facility up and running by the second half of 2015,” said another TTDC official.
