17 Gujarat Lighthouses Get Modern Facilities to Attract Tourists

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government on Thursday announced that 17 lighthouses across the state have been equipped with modern tourism facilities. Traditionally serving as navigational guides for ships, the lighthouses are now being developed as a unique confluence of history, technology, culture and tourism to attract visitors, according to a press release.

The lighthouses at Mandvi, Rawalpir, Samiyani, Okha, Kachchhigadh, Porbandar, Mangrol, Jafrabad, Jegri, Alang, Ghogha, Hazira, Valsad Khadi, Gopnath, Veraval, Dwarka and Umargaon have been developed with modern tourism facilities. These include cafeterias, landscaped gardens, gazebos, recreational facilities for children, amphitheatres, light and sound shows, lifts and other public amenities.

With a coastline stretching 2,340.62 kilometres, the initiative is expected to play an important role in connecting Gujarat’s maritime heritage with tourism. The various facilities developed at the lighthouses will provide visitors with an educational experience along with entertainment, the press release said.

Notably, under Section 23 of the Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021, the Central Government is promoting lighthouse tourism for educational and cultural purposes, while also preserving India’s maritime heritage. Under this initiative, 75 lighthouses across the country have been equipped with tourism facilities.

To make lighthouse tourism in Gujarat more attractive, lighthouse museums have also been established at Dwarka and Gopnath. These museums showcase the evolution of lighthouse technology and the story of India’s maritime heritage.

Along with giving a boost to tourism, the initiative is also aimed at familiarising the younger generation with India’s maritime history, maritime navigation and lighthouse technology.

Meanwhile, India’s first National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is under construction at Lothal in Ahmedabad district. The complex will showcase the country’s rich maritime heritage. DeshGujarat