Last Saturday, with the commissioning of a three-year, Rs 300-crore lighthouse tourism project by Union shipping minister G.K. Vasan, several lighthouses in India will be repaired and redone. The lighthouses that have remained closed for years or shut to the public will now be turned into tourist sites.
Already 13 lighthouses that have been closed to the public have been narrowed down for the project. Another plan is to erect a Rs 50-crore national heritage maritime museum at Mahabalipuram, near Chennai as well as a lighthouse museum on the Marina.
The city of Chennai has a long coastline and a set of serene beaches that extend into the suburbs. Turtle walking is a popular activity here. Scientists, tourists and enthusiast youngsters all join to protect the ecosystem of the turtles that come here to lay eggs. There are agencies that sponsor and fund such eco activities in Chennai and Mahabalipuram.
Ya Kerala is one of the most visited places in India. There are always shiny days and cool environment. Nature invites everyone to visit and enjoy the place.