According to media reports, India might soon have the largest telescope in the world – the 1.47-billion dollar Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT). The report further states that the TMT board has short-listed Hanle in Ladakh as a prospective site for the project and an international team is likely to visit Ladakh soon.

Mauna Kea, Hawaii, was the first choice of the project for the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) International Observatory which is estimated to be worth $1.47-billion –  ₹98.26 crores. But the Hawaii Supreme Court had in December 2015 cancelled the permit issued to TMT to construct the International Observatory after it was claimed that the land at which the project was to commence was sacred for the community that lived there.

As the Hawaiian authorities working towards re-issue of the permit, the TMT Board is looking for alternatives to avoid delay. “Given the enormous investment and potential challenges ahead, it is necessary to also carry out a review of alternate sites,” Henry Yang, chair of the TMT International Observatory Board, said in a statement after a meeting on February 11, 2016.

The TMT board which is looking for alternatives is set to send an international team to Ladakh in a couple of months.  Indian scientists have been working on the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) project for two years, making strides in the building of edge sensors, actuators and software.

The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bengaluru and the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune have already been working on the project since 2013 with 2 government agencies.

TMT India programme director Eswar Reddy said that the board had decided on two prospective sites – in Ladakh, India and the other in Chile. A lot of work, including prototype development, is happening in the country. According to sources, TMT India is currently working on technology demonstration and components related to the primary mirror segments and control systems. And 15 % of the 492 mirror segments of the telescope will be fabricated in India.

“Yes, it was an unexpected turn for the project which got delayed due to the decision of the Hawaiian Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the project is also looking for prospective sites both in northern and southern hemispheres, including Hanle,” he was quoted as saying. It is expected that India will invest $212 million in the project.

“However, a lot of technical works (including in India) are progressing well in the partner countries. We expect all the systems to be ready and technical risks retired by the time we resolve the issue of a site. In India too, industries are working on prototype development and some are qualified for production and some are still working on,” Reddy was quoted as saying.