Kanhoji Angre light house off Mumbai port to be developed as tourist destination

The Kanhoji Angre lighthouse off the Mumbai coast is all set to become a new tourist destination with the tourism ministry jointly with the shipping ministry drawing up plans to develop 15 light houses across the country as places of tourist attraction.

Union minister of tourism K Chiranjeevi and minister of state for shipping Milind Deora jointly made a formal announcement to this effect at the Port Trust headquarters in Mumbai on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, Chiranjeevi said his ministry has agreed to extend financial assistance for development of light houses as tourist attractions.

In the first phase, the Kanhoji Angre Light house near Mumbai, the light house located at the Dolphin Nose Point at Visakhapatnam and the one located at Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) near Chennai are being developed as pilot projects. Of these, Kanhoji Angre Light House is the only one which is located at the middle of the sea, the minister pointed out.

Deora said the development of Kanhoji Angre light house includes conservation of light house and viewing gallery, conservation of fort wall, tent style accommodation, construction of jetty and passenger terminal and electrification through solar power system.

The thrust is on developing new destinations in an eco-friendly manner, he said, adding that the work at Kanhoji Angre Island is expected to be completed within 10 months.

Both ministries of tourism and shipping expressed the hope that development of light-houses into tourist destinations would help protect national heritage and arouse new interest among youth about the country's maritime history.

Named after the famous Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Angre, the light house is located on Kanhoji Angre Island, which was previously known as Kennery Island or Khanderi Island. It is an extension of the Western Ghats and is situated opposite the Thal fishing port near Alibaug, nine nautical miles away from the Gateway of India and serves as an important landmark at the entrance of the Mumbai harbour.

In 1852, a beacon was constructed on Khanderi Island but had to be demolished immediately due to its similarity to the Colaba lighthouse. The work on construction of the new 17 metre high octagonal masonry light house began in October 1866 and the first light was lit in June 1867. The initial large wick lamp and optic assembly was supplied by Chance Brothers, Birmingham. In 1930, the wick lamp was replaced by a PV burner.

There is also a fort on the island, built by the Portuguese and later occupied by the Marathas. Kanhoji Angre took command of the Maratha Navy in 1708 and won a number of sea battles till his death in 1729. Khanderi Island was renamed in his honour in 1998 on the occasion of the quasquicentennial (125th) anniversary of the Mumbai Port Trust.