Karwar's warship museum INS Chapal cries for attention

The INS Chapal, the star of naval warfare during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, which was decommissioned and turned into a museum at Tagore Beach here is gathering rust. Most parts of the INS Chapal have suffered severe corrosion due to the apathy of the Indian Navy staff.

A major tourist attraction in the coastal city for the past 17 years, the warship is crying for better upkeep. It will be relegated to the dustbins of history if the apathy of the naval officers continues, says a tourist.

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The warship is on the brink of falling apart into fragments due to corrosion. The engine room, captain’s cabin, radar room and the deck are in deplorable condition due to severe rusting.

The naval staff used to take up maintenance once a year. But for the past four years, the warship has not seen any repair.

“A technical team from the Indian Navy used to take up maintenance of the warship a week before the onset of monsoon. The staff used to apply chemicals to prevent
corrosion and paint the ship. But this has not happened for the past four years,” a member of the district tourism committee told DH.

The 39.6 metres long warship, which was decommissioned in 2005, was converted into a museum in November 2006. While the maintenance of the warship is with the Indian Navy, the museum is under the control of the district tourism committee.

INS Chapal was responsible for bombarding Karachi port and enforcing naval blockade in Arabian Sea in the 1971 war. This crippled Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial capital, and helped India clinch the deal.

Two of INS Chapal’s crew won Param Veer Chakra, India’s highest military honour, and 8 personnel bagged Veer Chakra.