India transforming its iconic lighthouses into tourist hubs: Sonowal

Union Minister Sonowal plans to preserve lighthouses as tourist hubs, empowering coastal communities and promoting maritime heritage in India.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced on Sunday (October 20, 2024) that steps would be taken to preserve lighthouses, which are an integral part of India’s rich marine heritage, and transform them into tourist hubs that would help coastal communities.

Attending the valedictory session of the second Indian Lighthouse Festival at Puri, Mr. Sonowal said coastal communities around lighthouses would be empowered so that they take pride in the lighthouses

“Lighthouse tourism is part of the Prime Minister’s vision. There has been a 400% rise in tourist footfall at lighthouses since 2014. From 4 lakhs in 2014, it reached 16 lakhs in the last fiscal. We have already crossed 9 lakhs in the first half of the current fiscal,” said the Union Minister.

He said, “For years, the guardians of our shores have remained unnoticed, even while they guided vessels and seafarers through the most challenging nights. The ‘Lighthouse Festival’ is our effort to shift this perception. Our goal is to raise awareness, foster involvement, and enlighten people about the significant contribution of these iconic structures to our maritime legacy.”

“A national framework is being mooted to ensure the lighthouses remain torchbearers of India’s rich maritime history and legacy,” said the minister.

According to the ministry, 75 iconic lighthouses across nine coastal states and one union territory have been developed, at an investment of ₹60 crore. Each lighthouse has become a beacon of both heritage and recreation, with modern amenities such as museums, amphitheaters, children’s parks, and more. These developments have also resulted in job creation, with 150 direct and 500 indirect employment opportunities emerging in nearby hotels, restaurants, tour operators, transportation services, and local shops and artisans.

In 2023, the maiden edition of the Indian Lighthouse Festival took place in Goa with a focus on 75 historical sites. In Odisha, five lighthouses — Gopalpur, Puri, Chandrabhaga, Paradip, and False Point — have been developed as part of the initiative to promote lighthouse tourism.