3rd Indian Lighthouse Festival Opens in Visakhapatnam

13 Jan 2026 CW Team

Held along the Visakhapatnam coastline, the festival features traditional cuisine, cultural performances, theatre, interactive zones and coastal delicacies. The opening night witnessed a vibrant Kuchipudi performance by Natya Sannidhaalaya, set against illuminated lighthouses, drawing over 3,500 visitors and creating a strong cultural and tourist turnout.

Addressing the gathering, Venkaiah Naidu said lighthouses are no longer limited to navigation but are evolving into centres of culture, community engagement and economic activity. He highlighted the role of lighthouse tourism in promoting local coastal traditions and supporting regional development, noting that 10 of Andhra Pradesh’s 17 lighthouses have been developed for tourism.

Sarbananda Sonowal said the festival aims to transform iconic lighthouse sites into vibrant tourism and cultural hubs by actively involving coastal communities. He added that developing lighthouses as festive destinations creates employment, supports local enterprises and strengthens sustainable growth in coastal regions.

A key highlight of the opening day was the participation of over 40 self-help group stalls from across Andhra Pradesh, showcasing handicrafts, indigenous products and coastal cuisine, reinforcing community participation and women-led entrepreneurship. Cultural performances from North Eastern states further added to the festival’s diversity, reflecting India’s rich regional heritage.

With more than 11,000 km of coastline and 205 lighthouses, India is repositioning these historic structures as tourism and cultural assets. The Indian Lighthouse Festival, organised by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, continues to play a central role in promoting maritime awareness, heritage conservation and coastal tourism development.

The third edition of the Indian Lighthouse Festival was inaugurated recently in Visakhapatnam by former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, marking the start of a two-day celebration blending culture, tourism and maritime heritage. Held along the Visakhapatnam coastline, the festival features traditional cuisine, cultural performances, theatre, interactive zones and coastal delicacies. The opening night witnessed a vibrant Kuchipudi performance by Natya Sannidhaalaya, set against illuminated lighthouses, drawing over 3,500 visitors and creating a strong cultural and tourist turnout. Addressing the gathering, Venkaiah Naidu said lighthouses are no longer limited to navigation but are evolving into centres of culture, community engagement and economic activity. He highlighted the role of lighthouse tourism in promoting local coastal traditions and supporting regional development, noting that 10 of Andhra Pradesh’s 17 lighthouses have been developed for tourism. Sarbananda Sonowal said the festival aims to transform iconic lighthouse sites into vibrant tourism and cultural hubs by actively involving coastal communities. He added that developing lighthouses as festive destinations creates employment, supports local enterprises and strengthens sustainable growth in coastal regions. A key highlight of the opening day was the participation of over 40 self-help group stalls from across Andhra Pradesh, showcasing handicrafts, indigenous products and coastal cuisine, reinforcing community participation and women-led entrepreneurship. Cultural performances from North Eastern states further added to the festival’s diversity, reflecting India’s rich regional heritage. With more than 11,000 km of coastline and 205 lighthouses, India is repositioning these historic structures as tourism and cultural assets. The Indian Lighthouse Festival, organised by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, continues to play a central role in promoting maritime awareness, heritage conservation and coastal tourism development.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

Infrastructure Urban

01 Jun 2026

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..