India is transforming its network of 205 lighthouses along its 11,000 km coastline into multi-functional tourism destinations while maintaining their primary navigational functions. Lighthouse tourism has experienced remarkable growth, increasing from approximately 400,000 visitors in 2014 to 1.863 million visitors in 2024-25, representing a 366% increase over the decade.
Seventy-five lighthouses have been developed as tourism destinations to preserve their historical and architectural significance, including prominent locations such as Mandvi Lighthouse and Dwarka Lighthouse in Gujarat, Tadri Lighthouse in Karnataka, Pamban Lighthouse in Tamil Nadu, and Vizhinjam Lighthouse in Kerala. The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) has launched a digital ticketing portal to streamline visitor management across all sites.
Technological modernization has been comprehensive, with all lighthouses converted to solar power and equipped with modern LED lighting systems. Specific upgrades include Samiyani Island in Gujarat transitioning from oil lamp to solar-powered electronic flasher and then to LED lantern in 2016, and Jodiya implementing solar-operated flashing light before upgrading to high-intensity LED lantern in 2021. Eighty-seven Automatic Identification System (AIS) shore stations have been installed on lighthouses to enhance maritime safety and navigation efficiency in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
Seven dedicated lighthouse museums have been established at Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Alappuzha, Kannur, Muttom, Dwarka, and Gopnath. The Mahabalipuram lighthouse features a 26-meter-high circular stone masonry tower that was upgraded to a 236-watt LED array in 2020, the first of its kind in India. The site showcases Pallava-era maritime history dating back to the seventh century AD when log fires guided vessels.
The National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat represents a major infrastructure project with a ₹266.11 crore investment that includes a 77-meter-high Lighthouse Museum planned as the world's tallest lighthouse museum. The complex will feature a 5D Dome Theatre, Coastal States Pavilion, Museotel, Eco Resort, and Maritime Research Institute developed in collaboration with the Indian Maritime University. A new Lighthouse Museum is also planned at Visakhapatnam's Old Lighthouse area covering 3,156 square meters.
Three Indian Lighthouse Festivals have been held to celebrate maritime heritage: the first at Fort Aguada, Goa in 2023; the second at Puri, Odisha in 2024 featuring Odisha's five tourism-developed lighthouses (Gopalpur, Puri, Chandrabhaga, Paradip, and False Point); and the third at Visakhapatnam in 2026. These festivals included cultural exhibitions, maritime history sessions, classical performances, musical events, coastal cuisine, sand art, boat art, yoga, and folk dance & music. The Aguada lighthouse features a light-and-sound projection mapping show using the structure as a canvas.
Expansion plans include developing 25 additional lighthouses as tourism destinations and establishing India's first inland waterway lighthouse infrastructure along the Brahmaputra River at Pandu, Bogibeel, Silghat, and Biswanath Ghat with a combined investment of approximately ₹84 crore. Each 20-meter lighthouse will feature solar power, weather-observation sensors, museums, amphitheaters, cafeterias, children's play areas, souvenir shops, and landscaped public spaces.
The transformation has generated employment opportunities for nearby hotels, restaurants, tour operators, transport services, local shops, and artisans, creating economic benefits for coastal communities while preserving India's maritime heritage.