Light houses light up hope and revenues

The 14 light houses in the coastal districts, stretching from Vizianagaram to Nellore, are bringing in revenues of Rs 100 crore to the Directorate of Light Houses every year.

These light houses are being operated and maintained by the directorate, which is based in the vicinity of the Kakinada port.

Speaking with Business Standard, K K Braroo, director of the Directorate of Light Houses, said that the directorate mainly earns its revenues from the outgoing foreign and Indian ships which utilise the services of the light houses.

A major chunk of the directorate's revenues comes from the Visakhapatnam and Kakinada ports that see the berthing of hundreds of inland and foreign ships every year.

'Light dues' are collected from every ship that visits the port or is anchored in the harbours on tonnage basis.

According to Braroo, a light house is being constructed at Isukapalli in Nellore district at a cost of Rs 1.4 crore. Besides, another light house has already been constructed at Vakalapudi near Ravva basin.

As part of the technology upgradation initiative for providing better services to the ships and mariners, radar transponders are being installed at the light houses at Vakalapudi, Ramayyapeta and Dolphins Nose in Visakhapatnam at a cost of Rs 25 lakh. In all, Rs 75 lakh will be spent on the installation of transponders in 2005-06, he said.

Explaining the style of functioning of the light houses, Braroo said that the red and white bands flashed by the light houses indicate to the ships passing by about the location and also the sea-station in the vicinity. Every ship has a radar, which helps in communicating with the light houses where radar transponders are installed.

"There are 36 satellites positioned in the space which give the ships' positioning report to the light houses. Even fishing vessels benefit from the light house services if they have radars installed in their vessels as they receive direction and signals from the light house whenever they are lost," he said.

Braroo said that there is a lot of potential for the development of minor ports and coastal transportation can be promoted especially for the movement of local cargos which will fetch revenues to the government.