Union Minister lays foundation for India’s first riverine lighthouses — Brahmaputra (Guwahati, Assam)

Union Minister lays foundation for India’s first riverine lighthouses — Brahmaputra (Guwahati, Assam)

• What happened: Foundation stones laid for four riverine lighthouses on the Brahmaputra (Bogibeel, Pandu, Silghat, Biswanath Ghat) on National Waterway-2 (NW‑2). Project outlay ~ Rs 84 crore. Ceremony: Lachit Ghat, Guwahati. Agencies: DGLL and IWAI under MoPSW.

• Key specs (Prelims):

  • Height: 20 m each.

  • Geographical range: 14 nautical miles; luminous range: 8–10 nautical miles.

  • Power: Fully solar-powered.

  • Tourism components: museum, amphitheatre, cafeteria, children’s play area, souvenir shop, landscaped public spaces.

• Significance (Mains/Essay):

  • Inland navigation safety: Improves night navigation, reduces accidents, supports commercial movement on NW‑2 (Brahmaputra).

  • Multimodal connectivity: Strengthens inland waterways as alternatives to road/rail, reducing logistics cost and carbon footprint.

  • Regional development & tourism: Lighthouse sites with visitor amenities promote riverfront tourism and local livelihoods.

  • Technology & sustainability angle: Solar power aligns with green infrastructure objectives.

• Challenges/Considerations:

  • Maintenance, vandalism, sedimentation and shifting channels of Brahmaputra affecting visibility/location.

  • Integration with hydro-meteorological forecasting, AIS (Automatic Identification Systems) and NAV‑Aids for maximum utility.

• One-line for revision: First inland-waterway lighthouse project (NW‑2, Brahmaputra) — four 20 m solar lighthouses with tourism facilities; project cost ~ Rs 84 cr.