In order to provide a deep-sea underwater experience to tourists visiting Beyt Dwarka — a small island believed to be a part of the submerged ancient kingdom of Lord Krishna — the Gujarat government is planning to acquire a ₹50-crore submarine that can carry passengers.
“We have inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd for building a submarine that can carry passengers,” Hareet Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism department, told businessline.
This will be the first-of-its-kind submarine project for tourists in India and a formal announcement is expected to be made during the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat summit next week. “The submarine will cost less than ₹50 crore. The agreement is largely between two governments and so we are looking to get delivery as early as possible,” the IAS official added.
Diving for a slice of history
The submarine is expected to weigh around 30 tonnes and carry between 25 and 30 passengers to a depth of 300 ft. The archaeological and historical history of Dwarka are shrouded in mystery. It is believed that the ancient kingdom of Lord Krishna was located near the confluence of Gomti river with the Arabian Sea and the city sank beneath the ocean after Lord Krishna’s death.
The submarine project will offer tourists visiting Dwarka the opportunity to get close to the submerged ruins of the ancient city and also explore underwater marine life, officials added.