{"id":112153,"date":"2026-07-09T11:48:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T06:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=112153"},"modified":"2026-07-09T11:48:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T06:18:44","slug":"indira-point-indias-southernmost-landmark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/indira-point-indias-southernmost-landmark\/","title":{"rendered":"Indira Point: Protecting India&#8217;s Southernmost Landmark and Developing a Sustainable Tourism Hub"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Indira Point Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has proposed protection and development works at Indira Point and its famous lighthouse, located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Centre, through the Directorate of Lighthouses and Lightships, <\/span><b>Sri Vijaya Puram<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (formerly <\/span><b>Port Blair<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), has sought coastal regulation zone clearance to carry out this proposed work.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Indira Point<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indira Point marks <\/span><b>India&#8217;s southernmost tip<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is located on the <\/span><b>Great Nicobar Island<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (GNI) in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is an important maritime landmark, lying to the <\/span><b>south of Galathea Bay<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 the site where a transshipment port has been proposed under the larger GNI mega infrastructure project.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lighthouse at Indira Point serves as a <\/span><b>key landmark on the Singapore-Colombo international maritime route<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, acting as a navigational aid for mariners.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also holds growing importance for safe navigation toward Galathea Bay, given the upcoming transshipment port planned there.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>A Brief History of the Site<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indira Point was earlier known as <\/span><b>Pygmalion Point<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was renamed in 1985 in memory of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, following her death.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lighthouse itself was commissioned in April 1972 and stands 35 metres tall. Its tower is made of cast iron, painted in distinctive red and white bands.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>What Is the Protection and Development Proposal?<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, through the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships, wants to <\/span><b>structurally repair<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the lighthouse and eventually develop <\/span><b>tourism infrastructure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and facilities around it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The stated objective is to &#8220;preserve and protect the lighthouse for its functional requirement for safety of mariners, rich legacy of region, for historic and cultural significant for future generations.&#8221;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>What Does the Detailed Project Report Propose<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the detailed project report prepared by IIT Madras (IIT-M), the structural work will include:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Repair and strengthening of the lighthouse tower&#8217;s foundation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction of an all-weather approach road<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shore protection works, including breakwaters around the tower<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Development of a powerhouse, inspection facility, and staff quarters<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A compound wall and internal pathways<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Separately, tourism-focused development activities have also been proposed, including eco-tourism initiatives, a convention centre, cafeteria, viewing tower, cycle tracks, an international-standard museum building, and a memorial structure.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Coastal Protection and Regulatory Clearances Needed<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the proposed works fall within sensitive coastal habitats, they are subject to protection under the <\/span><b>Island <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/coastal-regulation-zone\/\" target=\"_blank\">Coastal Regulation Zone<\/a><\/b> <b>(ICRZ) Notification, 2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means the project requires prior approval from both the Union Territory&#8217;s Coastal Zone Management Authority and the Union Environment Ministry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 2019 Notification provides a regulatory framework to protect coastal stretches, marine habitats, and the livelihoods of fishing and other coastal communities across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As per coastal zone maps and the project proposal, the works fall in the most sensitive <\/span><b>ICRZ-IA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> areas, along with some portions in <\/span><b>ICRZ-IVA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>ICRZ-IA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> areas are considered environmentally the most <\/span><b>critical.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They include mangrove cover, coral and coral reefs, sand dunes, mudflats, national parks and marine parks, notified forests, salt marshes, and turtle nesting grounds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>ICRZ-IVA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covers the water area and seabed between the low tide line and up to 12 nautical miles seaward.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Why Does the Site Need Protection Works?<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lighthouse structure has weathered significantly over the years, with much of this damage traced back to the <\/span><b>December 2004 earthquake and tsunami<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This natural disaster had a massive impact across the entire Andaman and Nicobar island chain, causing land to rise in some areas and sink in others.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The site at Indira Point specifically experienced <\/span><b>permanent land subsidence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Originally, the lighthouse and its associated structures stood at a height of 3.5 metres above mean sea level.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the earthquake and tsunami struck, land sinking combined with seawater ingress engulfed the lighthouse tower and destroyed nearby quarters and huts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientists and authorities estimate that the Nicobar Islands sank by approximately 2.04 metres, submerging the lighthouse&#8217;s base and foundation in seawater.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An assessment by IIT-M found that <\/span><b>geological and shoreline changes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have continuously exposed the lighthouse foundation to seawater and extreme wave conditions during high tide, ever since 2004.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lighthouse itself now shows a <\/span><b>3.86\u00b0 tilt<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2014 though this has not been assessed as posing any risk to its structural stability or safety.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lighthouse and its surrounding structures have grown increasingly vulnerable due to ongoing coastal erosion, wave action, and shoreline changes \u2014 making structural strengthening necessary.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indira Point project reflects the government&#8217;s dual objective of preserving a historically and navigationally significant landmark while promoting tourism at India&#8217;s southernmost tip.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, given its location within ecologically fragile ICRZ-IA zones, the project underscores the recurring tension between infrastructure development and coastal ecological protection \u2014 a debate that has similarly surrounded the broader Great Nicobar Island infrastructure project.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/indira-point-protection-works-lighthouse-great-nicobar-10777453\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Indira Point is set for restoration and tourism development while balancing lighthouse preservation, coastal protection and ecological safeguards in the Great Nicobar Islands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":112192,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[6244,60,22,59],"class_list":["post-112153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","tag-indira-point","tag-mains-articles","tag-upsc-current-affairs","tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs-tag","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112153"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112173,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112153\/revisions\/112173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/112192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}