As of 9 July 2026 the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has proposed protection and development works for the Indira Point lighthouse and surrounding area on Great Nicobar Island, seeking ICRZ clearance via the Directorate of Lighthouses and Lightships (Sri Vijaya Puram).
Location and strategic role
- Site: Indira Point, southernmost tip of India, Great Nicobar Island, Andaman & Nicobar UT.
- Lighthouse facts: Commissioned April 1972; tower height 35 metres.
- Maritime role: Navigational aid on the Singapore–Colombo sea route; linked to proposed Galathea Bay transshipment port under the Great Nicobar Island (GNI) project.
Damage and structural status
- 2004 subsidence: About 2.04 metres of permanent land subsidence during the December 2004 earthquake–tsunami submerged the lighthouse base.
- Current condition: Tower exhibits a 3.86° inclination; base exposed to continuous seawater and coastal erosion per IIT Madras assessment.
Proposed interventions
- Engineering works: Foundation strengthening, structural repairs, shore protection including breakwaters, and an all‑weather approach road.
- Tourism components: Eco‑tourism facilities, convention centre, international‑standard museum, memorial, viewing tower, cycle tracks and cafeteria.
- Stated objectives: Preserve lighthouse for maritime safety and heritage; improve navigational safety; protect against coastal erosion; enable sustainable tourism.
Regulation and implementing agency
- Clearance required: Works need prior approval under the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019.
- ICRZ classification: Site falls in ICRZ‑IA and ICRZ‑IVA categories (ecologically sensitive/coastal community protection zones).
- Implementing agency: Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways), Sri Vijaya Puram.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- ICRZ 2019: Classifies coastal areas into zones with graded restrictions; prior clearance mandatory for development in regulated zones.
- Transshipment context: Galathea Bay transshipment port is a core element of the GNI mega infrastructure plan linked to logistics in the eastern Indian Ocean.