Bhubaneshwar: The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, dedicated key maritime projects to the nation during the 2nd Indian Lighthouse Festival on October 20, 2024. At the valedictory session, Sonowal also announced that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Government of India, would take necessary steps to enable coastal communities around lighthouses, empowering them to preserve and promote these structures, which are part of India’s rich marine heritage. The Minister further announced two new lighthouses on Odisha’s coastline, one at Chaumuck in Balasore district and another at Dhamra in Bhadrak district. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi joined Sonowal at the conclusion of the festival.
Sonowal highlighted that coastal communities across the country would be developed into societies, empowering them to take pride in the preservation, protection, and promotion of lighthouses. The initiative seeks to engage communities in recognising lighthouses as cultural heritage and symbols of India’s maritime legacy. A central association will be created to give national momentum to celebrate these structures.
The Kalwan Reef Lighthouse in Jamnagar, Gujarat, and two projects at Paradip Port, Odisha, the Stacker-cum-Reclaimant and a flyover bridge, were also inaugurated. Sonowal further launched several activities at the Indian Lighthouse Festival, including sand art, boat art competitions, beach yoga, and a Swachhata Abhiyan at Niladri Beach, where garbage was collected through collective efforts.
Sonowal noted that since 2014, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, lighthouse tourism has seen a more than 400% increase, with visitors growing from 4 lakh in 2014 to 16 lakh in the 2023-24 fiscal year. He attributed this growth to the government’s emphasis on promoting India’s maritime heritage as part of the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The festival’s goal is to raise awareness and foster involvement in preserving the significance of lighthouses.
Sonowal also emphasised the government's commitment to empowering coastal communities to safeguard and promote lighthouses as symbols of India’s maritime legacy. A national framework is being developed to formalise this effort.
During the festival, Odisha Chief Minister Majhi and Sonowal also felicitated eminent personalities from education, sports, and culture, including Odishi dancer Mamta Ojha, artist Ramesh Prasad Panigrahi, sand sculptor Om Prakash Sahu, mariner Nividita Acharya, Oriya literary figure and poet Haldar Nath, footballer Sasmita Malik, and social worker Sujit Mahapatra. Additionally, eight employees of the Directorate General of Lighthouse & Lightships (DGLL) were recognised for their exceptional work.
The second edition of the Indian Lighthouse Festival aimed to rejuvenate India's maritime history by celebrating iconic lighthouses in a vibrant cultural atmosphere. The event featured coastal cuisine, an amusement park, folk music and dance performances, and an array of other activities.
Reflecting on the historic relationship between Assam and Odisha, Sonowal noted the cultural, spiritual, and commercial ties between the two states, forged by figures such as Srimanta Sankardeva, Lakshminath Bezbarua, and Bholanath Barooah. He praised the cultural performances from Assam and Odisha that marked the festival.
Odisha Chief Minister Majhi joined Union Minister Sonowal at the valedictory session of the festival, which was also attended by Shantanu Thakur, Union Minister of State for MoPSW; Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha; Suresh Gopi, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum & Natural Gas; Sambit Patra, MP; and TK Ramachandran, Secretary, MoPSW.
The first day of the festival featured discussions on lighthouse tourism, heritage preservation, and conservation, along with cultural performances, including a Ganesh Vandana and traditional Assamese and Odia dances. Performers such as Papon and Sona Mohapatra delivered electrifying musical performances on the opening and concluding nights, respectively.
As part of the government’s initiative to develop 75 iconic lighthouses across nine coastal states and one union territory, Odisha’s five lighthousesG, opalpur, Puri, Chandrabhaga, Paradip, and False Point, have been developed with modern amenities such as museums, amphitheatres, and parks. With an investment of ₹60 crore, these developments have created both direct and indirect employment opportunities in nearby hotels, restaurants, and local businesses.
In 2023, the first edition of the Indian Lighthouse Festival was held in Goa, focusing on transforming historical lighthouse sites into tourist destinations through public-private partnerships. The festival featured cultural exhibitions, maritime history sessions, light and sound shows, and performances by celebrity artists.
In Odisha, the Sagarmala Programme includes 36 projects with a total value of ₹20,200 crore. Of these, 15 projects worth ₹4,330 crore have been completed, while 21 projects totalling ₹15,850 crore are in progress. Paradip Port, which handles the largest cargo volume among major ports in India, is set to increase its capacity to over 500 MTPA by 2047 under the Sagarmala Programme. Additionally, the programme supports the modernisation of Paradip Fishing Harbour and the development of a fishing harbour at Chandipur.
Odisha, a key maritime state, has a coastline of 480 km, with Paradip Port being its only major port under the Government of India's control. The state has identified 14 potential sites for non-major port development, with Dhamra and Gopalpur already operational.
BI Bureau
