IT Correspondent
Mumbai, Sept 03:
Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, unveiled the foundation stone for 464 married sailors accommodation project at Colaba in South Mumbai on Thursday.
The project will be executed by Military Engineering Services (MES) organisation under the aegis of Chief Engineer (Navy), Mumbai at Navy Nagar, Colaba. The project encompasses the construction of Twin Towers of G+32 configuration which will have a total of 464 quarters and associated facilities for married sailors of the Indian Navy.
The project has been designed by M/s Arcop Associates Pvt. Ltd. and will be executed by incorporating the latest engineering techniques and green building norms. The project is one among the chain of high rise residential buildings planned by the Indian Navy at Colaba. The completion of this project will mitigate the existing deficiency of married accommodation for sailors to a large extent and is aimed at providing better living standards.
Victory Flame
In another development, the Victory Flame (Vijay Jyoti) which was received by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at Gateway of India in Mumbai on Wednesday traveled to Indian Naval Dockyard on Thursday. The Victory Flame is being taken across the country as part of Swarnim Vijay Varsh, to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the 1971 war victory. The flame is brought to Mumbai, by personnel of the 15 Punjab Regiment.
On Thursday the Victory Flame was received thereby Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, at the Gaurav Stambh Memorial in a solemn ceremony. The Commander-in-Chief paid homage to the Bravehearts who laid down their lives during the war by laying a wreath at the Stambh. A ceremonial guard was also paraded to mark the occasion.
On completion of this ceremony, the Victory Flame was taken to the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron, the Killer Squadron, which inherited the legacy of courage and bravery from the boats that played a pivotal role in the 1971 war. It was Missile Boats of the Killer Squadron that caused havoc in Karachi in Dec 1971 and deservedly won the epithet ‘Killers’.
The Navy Day each year is celebrated on 04 Dec to commemorate the heroic acts of these ‘First Strike’ elements of the Indian Navy that live by the singular aim and purpose of ‘Hit First, Hit Hard. The event was attended by some esteemed veterans of the Killer Squadron that had participated in Operation Trident and Operation Python during the war.
On the occasion, Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar felicitated some of the veterans, who spoke during the event and shared their glorious experiences of bravery. The event concluded with Rear Admiral Atul Anand, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA), delivering the vote of thanks and reiterating the Killer Squadron’s commitment to remain ever ready to sail into harm’s way and strike fear in the enemy when called upon to do so, in line with the rich legacy the Squadron has inherited from its revered forebears.
