The Hindu Business Line : Navy to invest Rs 1,500 cr in Vizag facilities

THE Eastern Naval Command, headquartered here, is proposing to invest roughly Rs 1,500 crore in the first phase for building up additional facilities in Visakhapatnam district and the State Government is acquiring 3,000 acres in Yelamanchili and Rambilli mandals for the purpose, according to the Vice-Admiral O.P Bansal, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the ENC.

Vice-Admiral Bansal, laying down office on Friday on superannuation, said at his farewell press meet here on Wednesday that in view of the future requirements of the Navy, 3,000 acres were being acquired in the two mandals.

"There is no room in Vizag city on the waterfront and for creating alternative and additional facilities, we need the land. In the first phase, perhaps, we may be investing Rs 1,500 crore over the years," he said.

He said five more warships would join the ENC in addition to the existing 15 and the ENC would host a mega event in February 2006 - the review of the entire fleet of the Navy by the President and the Commander of the Armed Forces.

"The ENC is gearing up for the big event as the President and several Union Ministers will participate in it. Hopefully, the Prime Minister may also attend," he said.

He spoke about the role of the ENC in tsunami relief work undertaken along the east coast, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

"Considering the kind of response Katrina elicited from the administration in the US, we have been far swifter and more humane in rendering assistance," he remarked.

He said the ENC had also responded promptly to the plea for help from the Andhra Pradesh Government during the recent floods and several naval helicopters, craft and personnel were pressed into service in the flood-hit areas.

In response to a question, Vice-Admiral Bansal said the proposed project to turn the decommissioned ship, Anjadeep, into a museum here had been given up.

"We have converted Kurusura, the decommissioned submarine, into a museum here and it is drawing huge crowds. Similarly, we wanted to convert the ship, but we could not get the required funds, Rs 5-6 crore, for the project. It was a good project but unfortunately it had to be given up," he explained.

Vice-Admiral Bansal would hand over charge to Vice-Admiral Suresh Mehta on Friday. At present, the latter is the Deputy Chief of naval staff at the naval headquarters.

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Navy to invest Rs 1,500 cr in Vizag facilities