VISAKHAPATNAM: As India prepares to celebrate its 78th Independence Day, one quiet structure inside the Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) campus stands as a reminder of a lesser-known chapter of the country’s wartime past.
The HSL Bunker Museum, housed in a restored World War II-era bunker built between 1938 and 1941 by the British, offers a fascinating glimpse into both India’s maritime heritage and Vizag’s role during the 1940s. The museum, inaugurated during the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations in 2022, is part of HSL’s effort to preserve its legacy as one of the oldest and significant shipyards in India.
This bunker gained importance on April 6, 1942, when Vizag was bombed by Japanese aircraft. The attack was aimed at port facilities and ships. Despite being targeted thrice in a single day, the shipyard and city managed to avoid large-scale destruction due to quick action and geographical advantages of the inner harbour.
Inside the museum, visitors are guided through a curated collection of shipbuilding memorabilia, archival photographs, wartime equipment and ship components. On display are naval instruments such as Aldis lamps, turbine parts, searchlight bulbs, watertight fittings, engine valve rods and shackles, all of which reflect the evolution of maritime technology over the decades.
The museum documents the transformation of HSL, from its origins as Scindia Shipyard to its present-day stature under the Ministry of Defence.