JUNKING OF INS VIRAAT STAYED

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the dismantling of Navy's aircraf t carrier INS Viraat which was decommissioned in March 2017 on a petition filed by a Navi Mumbai-based firm which wants to convert the ship into a maritime museum and a multifunctional adventure centre. The carrier is in the possession of a Gujarat-based ship-breaker who had purchased it; he says it is now too late for any restoration effort. Over 40 per cent of the dismantling work has been completed so far, said Mukesh Patel, Chairman of the Shree Ram Group based at Alang in Bhavnagar district which bought the ship at an auction in July last year for Rs 38.54 crore.