The first phase of the National Maritime Heritage Complex being constructed in Lothal in Ahmedabad district will be ready by the end of January 2024.
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said this while reviewing the work of the complex along with Union Minister of State for Shipping Shripad Naik and officials.
“The Union and state governments are working to revive India’s ancient maritime culture by building a National Maritime Heritage Complex at a cost of Rs 4,500 crore. Phase 1 of the complex will be ready and inaugurated by the end of January 2024,” stated an official release quoting Mandaviya.
The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare also said the complex, for which the Gujarat government has allotted 400 acres, will house the world’s tallest lighthouse museum at 77 metres.
The complex will create “a harmonious combination of history, education, research and entertainment,” he said.
Five thousand years ago, Lothal was not only a port but also a centre of shipbuilding, Mandaviya said.
“The complex has been envisioned by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to showcase India’s rich and diverse maritime heritage and will comprise 14 galleries, including a naval gallery highlighting India’s maritime heritage from the Harappan times to the present day,” Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal had told the Lok Sabha in a written reply in August.
Pavilions displaying the diverse maritime heritage of India’s coastal states and Union territories will also feature in the complex, he had said, adding that 35 per cent work of the first phase of the project was over.
“The complex is expected to boost tourism in the region and contribute to economic development. It will use cutting-edge technology to raise awareness of India’s maritime heritage, and will inspire visitors towards the country’s future maritime endeavours through immersive communication, revealing spaces and interactive technology,” Sonowal had said.
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