Earlier, interest-free loans were announced for Emiratis whose businesses were affected by the rains, with a grace period of 6 to 12 months
uae4 hours ago
The world's oldest aircraft carrier INS Viraat will be converted into a hotel to attract tourists after it is decommissioned from service later this year.
The Defence Ministry has approved a proposal from Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) to convert the Centaur-class aircraft carrier into a hotel.
The decision was conveyed to the state authorities on the sidelines of the International Fleet Review (IFR- 2016) at the coastal Andhra city of Visakhapatnam.
The state government has drawn up plans to convert Viraat into a 500-room hotel, the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said. The warship would be docked at the shores of Visakhapatnam to serve as a tourist attraction.
"It will have 500 rooms and a conference hall to seat 500 people. Since it is an aircraft carrier, helicopters can easily land on it. It will be convenient to hold conferences apart from being a major tourist attraction," the Chief Minister said.
The officials are confident that INS Viraat can be a game changer for the tourism development in the state. Its conversion into a hotel-cum-ship museum will be jointly undertaken by Indian Navy and Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA). The central government would also contribute for the project to be taken up under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
The north coastal city is also home to INS Kursura, a Soviet-built decommissioned submarine, that has been converted into a museum in 2002. It is the first submarine museum in South Asia. It received 270,000 visitors in 2010, according to Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority, which maintains the museum ship.
INS Viraat was completed and commissioned in 1959 as the Royal Navy's HMS Hermes and was transferred to India in 1987. In April 1986, India had entered into an agreement with Britain to acquired HMS Hermes. It was part of the action during the Falklands war in 1982. After refits and new equipment being fitted on Hermes, it was commissioned as INS Viraat on May 12, 1987. Originally, the aircraft carrier was scheduled to be decommissioned in 2009, but with the INS Vikramaditya's induction being delayed, Viraat underwent a series of refits and continued its service.
Viraat is currently on its last operational tour of duty and participated in the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam together with 100 other ships from 51 countries.
The 28,700-tonne aircraft carrier will retire after 57 years of service, including 29 years in the Indian Navy. Viraat, the last British ship serving the Indian Navy, is the flagship of the Western Naval Command. It can carry up to 26 fighter aircraft and helicopters, including 16 Sea Harriers and helicopters such as Sea Kings, and Chetaks. It will be decommissioned in June this year.
news@khaleejtimes.com
Earlier, interest-free loans were announced for Emiratis whose businesses were affected by the rains, with a grace period of 6 to 12 months
uae4 hours ago
Following a $3 per barrel average global price increase in March, petrol prices for April increased by 12 fils per litre in the UAE
uae4 hours ago
Annual rents in Dubai are usually paid in two, four or six instalments via post-dated cheques
business4 hours ago
NCM official says May 2-3 is identified as the ‘peak’ of the situation
weather4 hours ago
PSG are still involved in the Champions League in what could turn out to be the club's finest ever season
football10 hours ago
World number three Alcaraz, 20, missed a month prior to Madrid with a forearm issue
tennis10 hours ago
It was Chennai's fifth win from nine matches as they moved to third place in the points table with 10 points
cricket10 hours ago
Earlier, Arsenal held on for a pulsating 3-2 win over arch rivals Tottenham
football11 hours ago