Mumbai, May 21 (HS): An underwater museum in Niwati Rock Area of

Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district will be a global tourist attraction soon. Indian

Navy's retired warship X-INS Guldar has been successfully installed

on the seabed at Niwati Rock area through Maharashtra Tourism Development

Corporation (MTDC). This will be the largest and unique submarine tourism

project in the country.

Maharashtra Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai

said that the project, to be implemented in partnership with Mazagon Dock

Shipbuilders Limited, has become a major step forward for the Indian tourism

sector. The country's first integrated submarine is launching experiential

tourism and this tourist destination will offer guided wreck diving and

submarine experience, discovery scuba diving (up to 12 metres), certified diver

expedition (up to 18 metres), advanced diving experience (up to 30 metres),

underwater photography tourism, marine education and research. Information

about diving slots, submarine bookings and tourist facilities will soon be

available through MTDC's authorised channel.

The mega project has gained momentum under

the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath

Shinde and Sunetra Pawar. The project is being developed by MTDC under the

Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment Scheme of the Union

Ministry of Tourism. The Central Government has sanctioned Rs 46.91 crore for

the project and the Government of Maharashtra Rs 112.46 crore.

INS Guldar is an Indian Navy class landing

ship tank and was decommissioned on 12 January 2024 after serving the country

for 39 years.

The ship was launched on 30 December 1985 at

the Gdynia Shipyard in Poland. The 83.9-metre-long ship was used for amphibious

warfare, army, logistics transport, coastal security and various naval

exercises. The warship was laid down on 19 May 2026 at a depth of about 22

metres at Nivati Rock Area off Sindhudurg Coast via Mazagon Dock. This will

promote marine biodiversity, coral growth, fishing resources and ecological

balance.

The

project will include access to Nivati Rock by speedboat from the jetty, landing

there on a barge, and viewing corals and fish onboard by submarine or scuba.

The project will boost the tourism economy of the entire Konkan coast,

including Sindhudurg district.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar