The lighthouse in Uttan near Bhayandar has found its place under the sun as part of 75 lighthouses across ten states and union territories (UT) which have been dedicated to tourist facilities.
PM unveils project
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the dedicated lighthouse tourism project via video conferencing from the port city of Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) as he launched infrastructure projects worth over Rs17,300 crore in Tamil Nadu in the presence of minister of ports, shipping waterways and Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday.
The Mumbai directorate, which works under the aegis of the Director General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) had arranged the live screening facility of the inaugural event at the lighthouse in Uttan. The Mumbai directorate controls 23 lighthouses in Maharashtra and southern Gujarat coast spanning from Rajapur Bay lighthouse to Luhara Point lighthouse, covering a coastal distance of 1,200kms.
Eight out of the 23 lighthouses, including the one located at Uttan, have been selected to offer tourist facilities. The newly added recreation facilities, including landscaped gardens and playing equipment for children, at the renovated premises of the Uttan lighthouse and Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) station was inaugurated in the presence of local legislator Geeta Jain, deputy director (Mumbai Directorate) D S Jathar, former municipal corporator Sharmila Bagaji, assistant commissioner of police Bajrang Desai, hundreds of school children and citizens.
Speaking on the occasion, Jain emphasised the need to develop the coastal areas as a tourist destination and the dedicated lighthouse will add to the beauty of the region without causing any harm to the livelihoods of the local fishing community.
Fees and other details
At present, visitors can access the lighthouse located on a serene hillock by paying a fee of Rs10 per person. Earlier the fee was pegged at Rs5 per person. Commissioned into service on December 15, 1960, the lighthouse having a range of 24 nautical miles has been upgraded and integrated with additional features like – unique reflectors, halogen lamps, a direct drive system, new radio beacon equipment and surveillance radar regularly.
