Bogibeel, Silghat, Pandu and Biswanathghat to get new lighthouses on Brahmaputra

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced that four new lighthouses will be constructed at Bogibeel, Silghat, Pandu and Biswanathghat along National Waterway–2 on the Brahmaputra to enhance inland navigational safety. 

The announcement was made at the valedictory session of the Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0, which concluded in Visakhapatnam, highlighting the expanding role of lighthouses beyond the coast to strengthen riverine transport and safety infrastructure.

Reinforcing the role of lighthouses as symbols of India’s maritime heritage and emerging tourism hubs, the two-day Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0 concluded on a high note in Visakhapatnam, with Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal stating that the event transformed the city into “a beacon of India’s coastal culture and maritime legacy.”

Addressing the valedictory session, Sonowal said the festival went beyond celebration to showcase how lighthouses can connect people with culture, history and livelihoods. He said vibrant cultural performances, local crafts, coastal cuisine, fashion showcases and illuminated night-time displays turned the venue into a living expression of India’s coastal identity, with enthusiastic participation from families, youth, artists, students and entrepreneurs.

Highlighting a major lighthouse-led initiative, the Union Minister announced the development of Andhra Pradesh’s first Lighthouse Museum in Visakhapatnam, envisioned as a centre for maritime education, heritage conservation and tourism promotion. An MoU was exchanged between the Visakhapatnam Port Authority and the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships for the project, under which over 3,100 square metres of land at the Old Lighthouse area within port premises will be allocated for the museum.

Building on the success of converting 75 lighthouses into tourism destinations nationwide, Sonowal said the government now plans to develop 25 more lighthouses, with a special focus on identifying suitable locations in Andhra Pradesh to further boost lighthouse tourism along the eastern coast. He also announced that four new lighthouses will be constructed along National Waterway–2 on the Brahmaputra in Assam at Bogibeel, Silghat, Pandu and Biswanathghat to enhance inland navigational safety.

Underscoring the broader vision, Sonowal highlighted the construction of a 77-metre-high Lighthouse Museum at the National Maritime Heritage Complex with an investment of ₹266 crore, which is set to become the world’s tallest lighthouse museum and one of the largest maritime museums globally.