TU 142 Aircraft Museum. Visakhapatnam.

 TU 142 Aircraft Museum.

Andhra Pradesh Government and Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA). Had conceived a very ambitious plan to transform an ordinary Rama Krishna Beach Road, RK Road for short, into a world-class tourist attraction.

The Indian Navy has played a stellar role in turning that vision into reality. The Indian Navy brought its decommissioned war machines, which in their heyday had served valiantly in defending the sovereignty of the Nation, to Visakhapatnam, disassembled them in the Naval Station, and transported them to RK Road and reassembled them on the land allotted to create four magnificent museums with these war machines as their respective themes.

TU 142 Museum is one of the four Museums

Thanks to the Indian Navy, today, RK Road is a world-class and a must-visit tourist attraction of Visakhapatnam.

The museum, in addition to this real TU 142 aircraft, has many aircraft parts, instruments, and one of the engines on display with information boards. Photographs and information boards give the history and the stellar role played by this versatile aircraft in the wars fought by India.

After visiting the Kursura Submarine Museum, we next went to the TU-142 Aircraft Museum across the RK Beach Road.

As the name suggests, the Museum is about the Indian Navy aircraft, TU 142. When the Navy went for modernisation and was re-equipped with better aircraft for Maritime Reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare, TU-142, a four-engined turboprop aircraft of Russian origin, was decommissioned and disposed of as per existing procedures. One of the aircraft, tail number IN 312, a decommissioned TU 142, was flown in from the Navy's Arakkonam base to Visakhapatnam International Airport, dismantled, and transported to RK Beach Road. “ TU 142 Aircraft Museum” is built around the very same aircraft. The museum is well-maintained. Visitors, mainly those who do not have any knowledge of the role of the Indian Navy in general and Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine warfare aircraft, in particular, will emerge as much better-informed person. Very informative and well worth a visit.

TU 142 Aircraft Museum.

At TU 142 Aircraft Museum.

The years 1988, 1992, and 2017 mark the core milestones of the TU-142M "Albatross" aircraft's lifecycle in the Indian Navy:

1988 (Induction): The TU-142M was formally inducted into the Indian Navy's INAS 312 squadron on April 16, 1988, at INS Hansa, Goa.

1992 (Relocation): To align with India's Look East policy and secure the eastern maritime boundary, the squadron permanently relocated its base to INS Rajali in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu, in April 1992.

2017 (De-induction): : After nearly three decades of service, the iconic "Flying Destroyer" was officially decommissioned and de-inducted on March 29, 2017, at INS Rajali, making way for the modern Boeing P-8I Poseidon aircraft.

The painting marks the core milestone of the TU-142 aircraft in the Indian Navy.

Pilot Station.  Partially reconstructed cockpit of TU 142 aircraft.

Escape Mural.

Showing ways to escape a stricken aircraft and recovery methods.

Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprop engine on display at the TU 142 aircraft Museum.

The Tupolev Tu-142 maritime patrol aircraft is powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12MV or NK-12MP turboprop engines. Each engine produces approximately 14,795 to 15,000 shaft horsepower (11,033 kW) and drives distinctive eight-blade contra-rotating, reversible-pitch AV-60N propellers.

Unveiling the fin model of TU 142 by the Hon'ble President of India.

 The fin and Rudder assembly with the Albetross logo on display in the background. 

Poster at TU 142 Museum.

View of the top portion of the starboard wing and the starboard side of the fuselage.

The Tupolev Tu-142 is a Soviet/Russian maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. 

 The Tu-142 was designed by the Tupolev design bureau and manufactured by the Kuibyshev Aviation and Taganrog Machinery Plants from 1968 to 1994. 

Developed in response to the American Polaris programme, the Tu-142 grew out of the need for a viable Soviet ASW platform. The Tu-142's capability was incrementally improved while the type was in service, eventually resulting in the Tu-142M3, the final long-range Tu-142 with highly sophisticated combat avionics and a large payload.

iew of the top portion of the starboard wing and the starboard side of the fuselage.

Tu 142 Aircraft. At TU 142 Museum.

Photography inside the aircraft was prohibited, so only outside views of the aircraft.

Without the use of magic eraser.

Tu 142 Aircraft. At TU 142 Museum.

Photography inside the aircraft was prohibited, so only outside views of the aircraft.

With one-time use of magic eraser.

Tu 142 Aircraft. At TU 142 Museum.

Photography inside the aircraft was prohibited, so only outside views of the aircraft.

After the second time use of the magic eraser.

Doodh Malai.

 Doodh Malai.

Within a short span , I have visited this place three times. From the menu tried , Ghevar-Rabadi, Rabdi, Dal Kachori, Mango Lassi, Moong pakoda, Sprouted-Moog, Every one of them very tasty. For those fond of good food, definitely a place worth visiting often.

Price per person

₹1–200

Food: 4

Service: 4

Atmosphere: 4

Reservation

Reservations not required

Seating type

Indoor dining area, Outdoor patio / terrace

Recommendation for vegetarians

Highly recommend

Vegetarian offerings

Menu is all vegetarian

Parking options

Free of charge street parking

Doodh Malai.

Doodh Malai.

Doodh Malai.

Doodh Malai.

Doodh Malai.

Doodh Malai.

Kachori

Samosa.

Various Rabdis.

Ghevar, Jalebi and other savouries 

Srimadhavam Cafe & South Indian Restaurant.

 Srimadhavam Cafe & South Indian Restaurant.

A recently opened south indian cafe.

Brightly lit and airy, which is how most restaurants are nowadays. Except for a painting hanging over the kitchen counters, there was not much decor. The reason why I have given an average rating in atmosphere.

When we reached, other than the four of us, there was only one group of about 10 to 15 ladies. Apparently, a kitty party is a phenomenon often seen in Nagpur restaurants nowadays. From the noise level, they all seemed to be having a great time and were almost approaching the end of the get-together.

The reason to give all the details is that we, only four other customers in the restaurant,  experienced super-efficient and express service. Utthapams, which normally take almost 20 to 30 minutes to be served, were at the table within 10 minutes. Dosas were served even faster. Rating of 5 stars. It would be interesting to experience the same when the restaurant is full of customers. We had Onion Uttapam, Mixed Uttapam, Masala and plain dosas. Sambar looked a shade different in colour than authentic South Indian sambar, but it was tasty. Coconut chutney was also different in texture. It was OK.

The food was good. Service excellent. Had A good time.

Roadside Sign.

Srimadhavam Cafe & South Indian Restaurant.

The Kitchen.

Rawa Dosa under the making :-)

The Dining Hall.

Plain Dosa.

Masala Dosa.

Mixed Uttapam.

Onion Uttapam.

In the company of good friends.

Trivendrum Cafe, Trimurti Nagar.

 Trivendrum Cafe, Trimurti Nagar.

Fairly recent addition to Nagpur's pure-veg South Indian restaurants.

Nice lighting; decor is sober and simple, adding to a good ambience.

Sitting is on split levels. Though there are plenty of seats, care has been taken not to overcrowd the space with too many tables.

The menu is varied, offering sufficient choices.

We had ordered different items so that we could get to know the taste of as many dishes as possible from the offering. This is what we had: Ghee Podi Masala Dosa, Ghee Mysore Masala Dosa, Garlic Malabari Paratha, Malabari Paratha, Appam and Malabari Mix Veg Kurma. 

All the dishes were quite tasty and good. 

I was not happy with the shape of Appam. It did not have the traditional shape of a rounded-bottomed utensil.  Appam took too long to be served, particularly in view of the fact that it was flat and looked like half-done plain Utthapam without any filling and a non-traditional shape. 

I also found Malabari Mix Veg Kurma, though good, quite spicy.

Bottled water priced at Rs 20/- indicates a fair pricing policy.

Good place to eat, worth another visit in due course.

Trivendrum Cafe.

Trivendrum Cafe.

Reception and cash counter.

Split-level Dining Hall. Nice ambiance.

Dining Hall. Nice ambiance.

Split-level Dining Hall. Nice ambiance.

Sober and Simple decor

At Trivendrum Cafe.

Menu, Trivendrum Cafe.

Menu, Trivendrum Cafe.

Ghee Podi Masala Dosa, 

Ghee Mysore Masala Dosa.  

Garlic Malabari Paratha and Malabari Mix Veg Kurma. 

Appam. Disappointed with non-traditional shape. 

Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park.

 

Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park.

Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park is commonly referred to and known as Gorewada Zoo. Sprawling over a 1,914-hectare forest area adjoining the Gorewada Lake in Nagpur, it is known as India’s largest captive zoo safari. It was inaugurated on 26 January 2021.

We visited it on 1 April 2026.

Tickets can be boobke on line. The bookings and tickets can be seen and are also available on WhatsApp under the name.  “Zipr” . The website is user-friendly and good. Cost per ticket is Rs 303.69. No idea why such an odd figure. The safaris are available in the morning, afternoon, and evening slots. We booked the tickets for the first safari, which is at 8:30 AM. Tickets are also available at ticket counters in the complex, which also houses Jumbos Joint which is, a souvenir shop. There is also a Gift Shop. Neither of these was still open till the time of departure of our bus.

Safaris are conducted in air-conditioned buses equipped with a PA system by which the guide announces the information about the progress of the bus and information about the animals of the enclosures through which the bus is passing through.

The Safaries are separated on all sides by service roads and enclosed within 15-20 foot high barbed wire security fencing.

Entry to the safari enclosures is through a double-gate entry system. In this system, there are two gates on either side of the enclosure or space where the bus can be accommodated. To start with, both gates are closed. As the bus arrives, the gate is opened. Once the bus is inside the enclosure, the gate through which the bus entered is closed. Only after this gate is fully closed, the other gate is opened, and the bus passes through the closed space. Thus, achieving entry or exit within different safaris.

All the safaris are spread over an area of 25 hectares, except for the Herbiveros safari, which is 40 hectares. The entire area of the safaris and the park consists of grassland, shrubs, and stunted trees.  

The sequence of the enclousers or safaris, followed by our bus, was Leopard Safari, Sloth Bear Safari, Herbivores Safari and Tiger Safari.

Leopard safari.

The guide told us that currently there were six leopards, two males and four females. When I commented on the lack of animals like deer, etc., on which the Leopards can feed, I was told that there was a night shelter constructed for the Leopards, which was also the place where they were fed with meat. Other times, based on opportunities, they do hunt small birds and peacocks, which are plentiful in the park area.

We were lucky to spot three leopards, one at very close range. Beautiful, sleek, impressive animal.

Sloth Bear Safari.

We spotted two sloth bears. One was quite active and wandering around foraging for insects and digging for roots. The other one was sitting by the fence without much movement during our stay,

Sloth bears are also fed in the evenings with fruits, edible roots etc supplimented with eggs.

Herbivores Safari.

A large number and variety of deer are located in this enclosure. The species include Spotted Deer (Chital), Sambar Deer, Barking Deer, and the endangered Sangai Deer. Other herbivores like Blackbuck, rare albono or white blackbuck, and plenty of Nilgai or blue bull are also present. Another notable presence is that of a large number of peacocks.

Tiger safari.

By the time we reached the tiger enclosure, it was almost 9 o’clock. Though fairly early, the sun was very bright and hot, and the temperatures were also in the high 30s degree C.

Presently, there is only one tiger. This about 5-year-old tiger was recently introduced; it has been named 'Ranga'.

Here again, we were lucky. We saw the tiger sitting in the artificially created water pond, enjoying the cool bath. As the bus approached, it turned to look at it, what a fierce and penetrating gaze and the majestic look. No wonder its name includes the word “Royal”. It obliged us by getting out of the water, walking about 100 odd meters to sit under the shade of a tree.

Even though we had done more than 17 safaris in tiger reserves like Pench, Kanha, and Tadoba, this was the first time we saw this majestic creature at such a close range. Truly Impressive.

This was the last of the safari, the bus exited the tiger enclosure and dropped us at the parking lot.

A truly memorable visit, as we were lucky to see all that the park had to offer.

The following videos could not be uploaded as they exceed the limit.

1. Entry in the Tiger Safari.

2. Sloth bear foraging.

3. Leopard Walk.

4. Tiger Walk.

5. Sloth Bear.

6. Entry to Herboveros Safari.