Bhubaneswar: With hundreds of years of heritage and history of navigation, lighthouses will be the next major tourist attractions with state-of-the-art facilities, said Union minister of port, shipping and waterways (MoPSW) minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while inaugurating the two-day second Indian Lighthouse Festival in Puri on Saturday.
Odisha has one of the oldest lighthouses at Hukitola in Kendrapada district, which is over 180 years old.The tall heritage monument has many interesting and heroic stories to tell. “With five lighthouses, including those in Puri and Chandrabhaga, Odisha has immense potential for lighthouse tourism. Through this festival we want to create awareness among the youth about the ancient significance of the lighthouses,” said Sonowal.
India has 203 lighthouses along its 7,500-km coastline. These towering sentinels have long guided seafarers and fishermen to safety, and they stand as more than just navigational aids. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggested MoPSW has transformed 75 iconic lighthouses into vibrant tourist attractions that have attracted 16 lakh tourists in the last one year.
“Lighthouse tourism will create unique opportunity to refresh and rejuvenate the connect we have with our ancient heritage and culture, with our rich tapestry of art and artefacts with our unique and diverse flavours of cuisine and customs,” said Sonowal adding tourism in lighthouse regions will also bring tangible benefits to local communities as thousands of jobs will be created and there will be a rippling effect on the local economy.
Apart from the two-day festival when a series of cultural and outreach programmes will be held, the MoPSW will involve communities to conduct various cultural, literacy, spiritual and academic activities centred around these tall monuments in the days to come.
Minister of state for tourism Suresh Gopi said lighthouses are beacon of hope and safety. “We cannot discard them for being old and outdated. But its time we need to preserve and protect them to recreate the thrill,” he said. Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said with support from the Centre, Odisha is going to be one of the top tourist destinations in the country.
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