Uneasy Karwar set to berth INS Vikramaditya Residents of Karwar are waiting for the arrival of INS Vikramaditya, which will berth at the naval base here by mid-January, with a strange mix of elation and trepidation. The aircraft carrier is expected to come along with huge baggage — something the citizens fear could tell on the port towns creaking infrastructure and send prices of essential commodities soaring. But the towns civic mandarins and naval base officials see a silver lining and argue the berthing presents a huge business opportunity that is waiting to be tapped. Projects like the Kaiga nuclear power station and the Seabird naval base have brought more pressure on Karwars infrastructure, far outweighing the benefits in terms of improving the local economy and providing secondary job opportunities to the citizens. The daily needs of the ships 1,600-plus crew members could create a supply squeeze. If vegetables and food present one side of the story, housing is another that requires a closer look — the navy has already started placing advertisements in local papers for rented accommodation. Naval officers in New Delhi admit the lack of adequate housing at the Karwar base, even though the navys accommodation project for married personnel started a couple of years ago. Some personnel will stay on the base, while some will have to stay outside, an officer says. On other fronts, arrangements for food and other supplies are being made to meet the demands of additional personnel. For instance, most AC hotel rooms in the city have been booked for Russian and India trainers who will arrive here to instruct navy personnel in navigating the ship. The navy and the Nuclear Power Corporation should join hands with the local authorities to develop the infrastructure of Karwar and Ankola town (Uttara Kannada district) so locals arent affected. Rumors of a looming water shortage, Seabird naval base is supplied three million liters of water a day against the demand of 19.3 MLD. A senior naval officer says the apprehensions expressed by the locals are unfounded. Local vendors, transporters, hoteliers, farmers and youths with technical skill will definitely benefit by the arrival of the new ship as well as the second phase of the Seabird naval project, he says.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 05:24:51 +0000
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