INDIA. Mumbai: The second leg of the motorcycle expedition titled ‘Swarnim Vijay Abhiyan’ was flagged off from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, by Rear Admiral Atul Anand, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA) on Thursday.
At Mumbai, the expedition team visited ships of the ‘Killer’ Squadron in commemoration of the significant contribution the squadron made in delivering a deathly blow on Karachi during ‘Op Trident’ and ‘Op Python’ in the 1971 War.
The expedition commenced from Karwar (Karnataka) on Monday. Over 50 naval personnel are taking part in various legs of the 6000 km expedition from Karwar to Delhi on 11 motorcycles and two support vehicles.
The expedition team visited NDA at Khadakvasla and INS Shivaji at Lonavala (near Pune) en route to Mumbai. Post-departure from Mumbai, the team will transit through various military establishments in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab before reaching New Delhi on October 03.
Electrical vehicles inducted as part of Green Initiative
The Western Naval Command, Mumbai on Thursday inducted 19 new multipurpose environment-friendly electrical vehicles (EVs) for use in residential areas. These vehicles are fitted with reliable, energy-efficient, and low-maintenance batteries. The induction of these vehicles is one among various other green initiatives of the Indian Navy.
These vehicles will contribute significantly towards the reduction of air and sound pollution and will help in conserving the ecosystem. The initiative is in line with the National Clean Air Programme launched by the Government of India in 2019 for the reduction of the concentration of particulate matter in the air by 20-30% by the year 2024.
The vehicles were flagged by Mrs. Kala Hari Kumar, President NWWA, Western Region, on 08 Sept and will be utilized for transportation of naval personnel and goods within residential areas.
Sumitra Market at Navy Nagar
In the meanwhile, the renovated Sumitra market at Navy Nagar, Colaba, in South Mumbai was inaugurated by Kala Hari Kumar, President, Navy Wives Welfare Association (Western Region) on Wednesday.
Sumitra market was originally constructed in 1972 at Navy Nagar. It has been a popular shopping complex in the naval community, including veterans.
To give the market a significant facelift and provide shoppers the feel of ‘Shopping in a Modern Mall’, structural repairs and restoration were undertaken, giving the market a glass facade, a spacious and well-lit corridor, 40% increase in carpet area of shops through design modifications, and a changed orientation to shops so that they open outwards into the new stilted corridor. One side of the market now opens into a new fountain merging with recently renovated ‘Eats and Treats’, making the combine a nice place for family outings, shopping, and dining.
Shops in the newly renovated market have been allocated to ex-servicemen/ war-widows/ widows of defence personnel etc. as per the latest Government of India policy. They cater to a wide variety of services ranging from provisions, apparel, uniforms, jewellery, beauty parlours, repair shops, etc. The renovated Sumitra market is expected to provide an enjoyable shopping experience to the defence community at Navy Nagar.
