Mandvi Lighthouse & Vts Station

Introduction: Mandvi is about 60 km from Bhuj and is connected by an all-weather road. Originally Mandvi was “Riyan” 's small port on the mouth of river Rukmavati. Riyan got transformed to Raipur and then to Mandvi-meaning a custom‟s post. The present port at Mandvi was built in the year 1580 by Rao Khengarji, the then-ruler of Kutch. A century later a fort at Kachchhigadh on Okha mandal coast and another at Mandvi were built to assist Kutchi mariners. Armed contingents were stationed at Kachchhigadh to prevent sea piracy. The business community of the Town used to observe and look for their vessels expected to arrive from Far East, Arabia, South and East African countries, Ceylon and Malabar etc from the fort bastion which was known as “HodiyoKotho”.

In the early part of the 18th century a flag in the daytime and an oil lamp during the night used to be hoisted from the same “HodiyoKotho”A tower subsequently was constructed on the same bastion (HodiyoKotho) in 1872. and an oil wick lamp inside an optic was placed on the tower and commissioned into service in November 1872. The same year M/s Bombay Steam navigation Co introduced a regular steamer service between Cochin, Bombay, Karachi and Mandvi. Their successors M/s Scandia Steam Navigation cooperated the service till 1965. The fix light is changed to group flashing system-flash (3) every 30 seconds in 1889. The intensity of the light was improved in 1949 by placing a 4th-order optic. The lighthouse tower was raised in height in 1963 and electrically operated optical equipment supplied by M/s B.B.T, Paris, was installed and commissioned into service in the January 1964. During the same period the Baffle wall was also constructed in the Mandvi port premises for the fog signal vibrator and sound horns. The fog signal also became operational in 1964 but was withdrawn subsequently in 1987.

A Racon of “Marconi” origin with code ‘G’ was installed on the bastion in December 1980. The emergency light was changed from DA gas burner to 12V 60W Halogen lamp in May 1993. The lighthouse tower was rendered unsafe after the Earth quake on 26th January 2001 and had to be pulled down. Temporarily a flashing light, 220V 1000 W lamp with a 500 mm drum optic was installed on G.I trestle tower and re- exhibited in September 2001 with same characteristic. A separate Decca Navigator Chain (DNC) master station and a monitor station at were established about 6 Km away from Lighthouse in Mandvi inApril 1978. The DNC station ceased to operate from April 2002.

Subsequently due to development of VTS in GoK, a 60 meters RCC tower with “X” Band Radar has been set up since 13 Feb 2012 for VTS in the Gulf of Kutch at Mandvi and new light(SL300-1D5-1) is installed at 45m height.

Lighthouse Equipment – The SL-300-1D5-1 series are 13 to 21NM long range marine lanterns with 1.5 degree vertical distribution, suitable for a range of day and night applications with advanced PC or IR programming. High Intensity, Small Form Factor The SL-300-1D5 series offers multiple intensity adjustments to over 90,000cd luminous intensity in a single tier (over 180,000cd in a 2-tier configuration). The small form factor provides minimal wind loading and convenient handling – delivering significant advantages over traditional larger lens stack assemblies. High Efficiency The long-range lanterns produce a class-leading intensity to power ratio, making them highly efficient & suitable for solar power solutions. The existing TRB-220 replaced with stationery Marine High Intensity LED Flasher unit on 13/03/2022

Master Ledger of Mandvi Lighthouse & Vts Station(1.18 MB)