Maritime Museum likely to be ready by March

CUTTACK: In an endeavour to preserve the Jobra workshop as a living testimony of maritime glory and prosperity of the region, the 138-year-old navigation workshop is being converted into the Orissa State Maritime Museum.While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone for the project in 2007, Intach’s conservation wing - Indian Council for Conservation Institutes - signed an MoU with the State Government in 2008 to execute the work in three years.Intach sources said restoration works of the workshop building have been completed and currently, efforts are being made to equip the galleries.The museum will exhibit letters, photographs as well as drawings and a large collection of artefacts, including lanterns used for navigation in the British era. The maritime museum would have three galleries to showcase Orissa’s maritime activities, especially during the British era. The galleries would have instruments and machines used for navigation, prototypes of used equipment and the third gallery would be dedicated to highlight the boat-making techniques.A library, a research centre focusing on the maritime and engineering tradition of the State, an auditorium for audio-visual presentation, an interpretation centre and an openair theatre along with water sports facilities in the Mahanadi would form part of the project to attract tourists.State coordinator of Intach A B Tripathy said though there were plans to ready the museum by this October, it does not seem likely due to shortage of funds.As per the initial estimate, the State Government had sanctioned ` 8 crore for the project.However, the cost has now escalated to over ` 10 crore. With a delay in sanction of the additional funds, works on the museum have been stalled for the time being. “The proposal for additional funds has been sent to the government and we are hopeful of receiving money for the remaining works soon,” said Tripathy.Once the funds arrive, Intach would complete the project by March next, Tripathy added.Sources said Cuttack was the focal point of maritime activities during the British rule.British engineers had set up the Jobra workshop in 1869 and made Cuttack the hub of irrigation and inland waterways in the region.