Lighthouse tourism to enhance coastal attraction in Tamil Nadu

All the three lighthouses — Mahabalipuram, Kanyakumari and Muttom — identified by the ministry are replete with maritime history of the region and interestingly none of the lighthouses (as also several others) was affected by the disastrous 2004 tsunami. While the Mahabalipuram lighthouse with a museum attracts scores of visitors by the day, the two other lighthouses chosen for the project fall in Kanyakumari district and are equally historical.

The Mahabalipuram lighthouse has been a sentinel to sailors for centuries long before the present lighthouse came into existence. The then acting port officer of Madras, T. E. Marshall, recommended the erection of the light atop one of the rocks called Seven Pagodas by the mariners. It was approved on April 8,1886.

The Kanyakumari lighthouse stand majestically tall amidst a string of monuments: Tamil savant Tiruvalluvar, Swamy Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and Kamaraj and the one at Muttom graces the scenic beach.

“The initiative will encourage tourism activity in a big way. Tourists would like to visit lighthouses to get a view of the city,” says Mr. H.S. Meena tourism commissioner.

Asked if he envisaged any role for his department, he replied that the tourism department was willing to cooperate in any tourism projects. “It is their project. We want to see that Tamil Nadu tourism remains number one in the country always. We are open to anyone – government or private sector - to develop tourism,” Mr Meena said.