The Centre is discussing a plan to turn lighthouses into tourist attractions by developing museums, aquariums as well as walking paths to beaches.
The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships will identify the most feasible projects out of a total 194 sites in the country. It has so far shortlisted 71 lighthouses, which will be reviewed by the Ministry officials.
“The museums will depict the history of the lighthouse as well as how the source of illumination changed over the years from wood, coal and oil lamps to electric lighting,” said a Shipping Ministry official.
Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya emphasised on the need to give preference to those lighthouses that have rich heritage value and are over 100 years old.
“Chaired the high-level meeting to review the untouched lighthouse tourism opportunities in India. Asked officials to focus especially on the ancient lighthouses. Museum, aquarium, children play & garden area, water bodies will be the major attractions around lighthouses,” Mr. Mandaviya tweeted.