Four new lighthouses to come up at Bogibeel, Silghat, Pandu & Biswanathghat: Sonowal

New Delhi, Jan 12: Underscoring the Centre’s commitment to promote lighthouse tourism, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has said that four new lighthouses will be constructed along the Brahmaputra river.

Sonowal announced a series of new initiatives aimed at strengthening maritime safety, heritage and tourism across the country.

“Four new lighthouses will be constructed along National Waterway 2 (Brahmaputra) in Assam at Bogibeel, Silghat, Pandu and Biswanathghat to enhance navigational safety on inland waterways,” Sonowal said at the two-day Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0 at Visakhapatnam.

“The Lighthouse Festival was envisioned as a celebration of people, culture, and heritage – and Visakhapatnam has exceeded all expectations. The vibrant performances, cultural expressions, local crafts, culinary diversity, fashion presentations, and night-time illumination have transformed this venue into a living celebration of India’s coastal identity. Most heartening has been the enthusiastic participation of the public – families, youth, artistes, entrepreneurs, students, and visitors – who made this festival lively, inclusive, and memorable,” he said.

India’s maritime sector has undergone significant transformation over the past decade through major policy and infrastructure reforms. In 2024-25, the country’s 12 major ports handled a record 855 million tonnes of cargo, while average vessel turnaround time was reduced from 96 hours in 2014 to 49.5 hours in 2025, placing Indian ports among the world’s most efficient.

Nine Indian ports featured among the global top 100, with Visakhapatnam ranking in the top 20 for container traffic. The momentum has been strengthened by the Sagarmala Programme, under which 272 projects worth Rs 1.41 lakh crore have been completed, alongside a sharp revival of inland waterways, where cargo movement has risen over 700 percent to nearly 150 million tonnes annually.

With a coastline of over 11,000 km and 205 lighthouses, India has begun reimagining these historic maritime sentinels as vibrant tourism and cultural destinations.

Aligned with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, the programme has already seen 75 lighthouses developed with modern tourist facilities across 10 states and Union Territories, leading to a sharp rise in footfall, job creation and renewed economic activity in coastal communities.

By

A Correspondent