The narrow lanes, quaint architecture and pristine beaches of Puducherry have never failed to attract waves of tourists from the world over, and an underwater museum is soon to be added to the list of reasons why this city is a must visit. What makes this underwater museum special is that making it entails sinking a ship.
The Indian Navy is sinking a ship close to Puducherry to help you enjoy a one-of-a-kind scuba diving experience. The ship, an INS Cuddalore, is a modified Natya-class minesweeper and has covered approximately 30,000 nautical miles in a span of 30 years. Decommissioned in March, 2018, this ship is now said to be converted into an underwater museum.
The first underwater museum in India will be located about 7 km from Puducherry’s coastline. The location was narrowed down on while keeping in mind environmental impact assessment, navigational hazards, weather conditions, wave activity in the region and safety of tourists. “We studied the water quality and benthic organisms in a 500m radius to find the impact the ship may have. We also chose the location as the seabed is sandy and water becomes calm beyond a certain depth,” said MV Ramanamurthy, the director of National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), while talking about the research that is taking place while preparing to sink the ship in an interview with the Times of India.
This one-of-a-kind project is a collaboration between the Indian Navy, the Puducherry Government, the National Institute of Ocean Technology, NCCR and PondyCan. NCCR are national laboratories based out of Chennai, while PondyCan is an NGO that works towards environmental preservation and is based out of Puducherry.
The authorities are removing some of the ship’s doors in order to modify the 60-metre-long and 12-metre-wide vessel to make it convenient for tourists to swim in and out of it. They are also hoping for barnacles and algae to grown on the surface in order to attract marine life towards the vessel.
Ideal for the adventurous, outdoorsy traveller, this unconventional museum is sure to attract many from across the country.
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