Thane: The Indian Navy and Smart Kalyan Dombivli Development Corporation Limited (SKDCL) have signed a pact to display the decommissioned 'Fast Attack Craft T-80' at Durgadi Fort in Thane district to commemorate the 365th anniversary of the establishment of Maratha Navy, officials said on Friday.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on Wednesday, said an official of SKDCL, a state agency. The decommissioned boat will be displayed permanently at Durgadi Fort, perched atop a hill, near Kalyan, then an important naval post overlooking the Thane creek, the official said.
The Indian Navy and Smart Kalyan Dombivli Corporation Ltd (SKDCL) signed a MoU on November 2, 2022 to display decommissioned Indian Naval Fast Attack Craft T-80 as a memorial at Durgadi Sea Fort Kalyan to commemorate 365th anniversary of establishment of Maratha Navy by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Navy said in a statement.
The T-80 memorial will be part of the Naval Gallery Campus at SKDCL's Riverfront Development Project, with the aim being to spread sea consciousness among people, the official of the SKDCL added. The INFAC T-80, built by M/s IAl Ramta in Israel, was commissioned on June 24, 1998 and decommissioned on October 7, 2021 after rendering stellar service of 23 years.
The vessel was specifically designed for shallow water operations and patrolled extensively to provide security to Mumbai High Offshore Development Area and the coast of Maharashtra. "Even after decommissioning, T-80 will continue serving the country and inspire Indian youth visiting the Naval Museum at Durgadi Fort, Kalyan. The memorial will also showcase the state's rich maritime history, especially the roles played in it by the Maratha Navy and Indian Navy," the Navy added.
The Indian Navy had previously erected the decommissioned warship ex-Prabal at Esselworld in the north-western part of the metropolis.
Earlier this year, the Navy and the Uttar Pradesh government signed an MoU to keep alive the legacy of INS Gomati, a Godavari class guided-missile frigate, which had been in service for 34 years.
The frigate has been displayed in an open air museum on the picturesque banks of the Gomati river in Lucknow, where several of its combat systems will be displayed as military and war relics. (PTI)
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