Bhubaneswar: A two-day ‘Lighthouse Tourism Festival’ was inaugurated in Puri on Sunday. This special programme was organised by the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for the development of lighthouse tourism in India.
Speading on this occasion, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that temples are a major tourist attraction in Odisha and lighthouses will add to their lure. The Chief Minister said, “It was beyond imagination that the temple could be used as a tourist destination. But due to the extraordinary thinking and foresight of the Prime Minister, today our temples are becoming major tourist centers and spreading our innovation heritage. Lighthouses will add another dimension to Odisha’s tourism.”
It is worth noting that the first Lighthouse Tourism Festival was held in Goa last year. The second Lighthouse Tourism Festival is being held in Odisha this year. The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central government for the importance given to Odisha in temple tourism.
On the occasion of 75 years of Independence, 75 lighthouses of the country have been developed on the advice of the Prime Minister. Five lighthouses of Odisha have also been developed, including Gopalpur, Puri, Chandrabhaga, Falls Point and Paradip.
It is worth noting that many facilities have been developed to attract people to the lighthouses, including construction of sheds for visitors, streams, children’s play facilities, stone work and other facilities. Various activities like sand art, boat art, beach clean-up drive, and yoga have also been organised in this two-day event. Along with this, various cultural programmes and food festivals are also being organised.
The Chief Minister said, “I hope that due to this innovative programme of the Central government, Odisha’s temples will be considered as a major place on the tourism map of the country.”
Highlighting Odisha’s rich commercial tradition, the Chief Minister said that the ancient people of Odisha had established trade relations with Java, Sumatra and Bali, and many countries in Southeast Asia. “Our tradition of innovation enriched Odisha’s economy. As a reminder of that tradition, Bali Yatra celebrations are being celebrated in various parts of Odisha today. Now, the Lighthouse festival, combined with the Bali Yatra, will commemorate the natural heritage of Odisha and also bring growth in the tourism sector.”
Commenting on the attraction of the Puri beach, the Chief Minister said that Puri is the only beach where a kind of festive atmosphere can be seen throughout the year. The festive atmosphere makes Puri beach different from other beaches in the country.
It is worth noting that two projects were also inaugurated at Paradip Port on this occasion. A fly-over and a four-lane road have also been constructed at Paradip Port to facilitate cargo transportation. Along with this, it has also been modernised for convenience in cargo handling. It can process 30,000 tons of iron ore per hour. For this, the Chief Minister thanked the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonwal.
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