-I. Ahmed
Hyderabad (Telangana): With an objective to attract large number of tourists to the state, Telangana government has decided to showcase a warfare aircraft and make it a tourist attraction.
The tourism department of the state will set up a museum containing the warfare aircraft as part of its plans. The authorities of Indian navy and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have agreed to provide one unused aircraft submarine and missiles to the Telangana State. The objective is to promote the knowledge to the citizens of Hyderabad on the activities of the Indian navy and its service to the nation. The aircraft that will be given to the Telangana state is Tupolev-TU 142 M, which is the anti submarine warfare aircraft of the country.
The navy and the defence authorities have agreed to provide the aircraft following a formal request of the Telangana government to these two organisations.
The Secretary to Government of youth and tourism department B Venkatesham has written a letter to the defence authorities urging them to provide the war flight and submarine for exhibiting them to not only to the people of state capital Hyderabad but also to the tourists who visit the Telangana State from across the country.
The Managing Director Of the state tourism development corporation had approached the chairman of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) Dr. Satish Reddy and urged him to accept the request. The defence authorities reacted positively to the request made by the state government and agreed to provide the aircraft.
“The Telangana government and Department of Tourism is planning to set up the museum in coordination with the DRDO as it would encourage a lot of youngsters to join the defence field of the country. It will also turn into a tourism attraction and earn revenue for the state government, an official of the tourism department told this correspondent.
A total of eight Tupolev-142 M’s were inducted into the navy. The soviet-era aircraft, known as one of the most formidable airborne reconnaissance platforms around the world, were part of all major naval exercises and operations of Indian Navy since its induction in 1988. Out of which two are re-assembled at Vishakapatnam and West Bengal.
