MUMBAI:The construction of the new dry dock inside the Mumbai's Naval Dockyard is in advanced stage and is likely to be completed by mid-2016, a senior Naval officer said on Sunday.
"The work (going on for last few years) is in advanced state and there are plans to test the strength of retaining walls constructed by dewatering the dry dock area, which will be carried out in February 2015," a senior Naval officer said, adding, if the result is favourable then further construction work would be carried out.
Once the Mumbai dry dock is ready, it can even refit country's largest aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
The official said that the project was slated to be completed by April 2014.
"Hindustan Construction Company was given the contract to build a new dry dock in April 2010 at an estimated cost of Rs 608.39 crore," the official said.
The scope of work include earthwork, diaphragm walls, cofferdam, underwater concreting, dockwalls, pumping system among others, while the permanent dock system include caisson gates, dock arm, cargo lifts etc.
Currently, bigger warships like INS Viraat (226.5 metres) sail to Cochin shipyard for its repair and refit.
Even INS Vikramaditya (283.5 metres) is likely to go to Cochin for its first refit and installation of Close-In Weapon System (CIWS).
The dry dock at the Naval Dockyard which was being constructed 15 years ago at the cost of Rs 700 crore, collapsed on June 7, 2000. The wall of the dry dock had collapsed during dewatering process being carried out to test the structure.