OKHA Lighthouse DGPS And VTS Station

Okha is well connected by Rail and Road links. The Railway station, Bus station, Passenger Boat Terminal and the Port, all situated within one km radius. The famous pilgrim center Beyt Dwarka is situated on the island opposite Okha Port. This region is known as Okha Mandal. Prior to Independence it was part of Baroda State of Gaikwad. They had developed the port at Okha during 1920s. It was inaugurated by Maharaja Sayaji Rao in the 14th February 1926. The MG rail link was extended to Okha in 1925 which was converted to BG in 1978. Baroda State maintained a Sea police force to patrol the sea around. Okha is the gateway to the Gulf of Kutch. There are rocky shoals and reefs around off Okha – Lushington shoal, Gurur shoal, Bobby shoal, Samiyani shoal, and the reef of Chinari (Chandri), Paga and Bural. When Lighthouse Tower was envisaged to be established to mark the Lushingtonshoalin the 1950’s, Okha served as the base for the site investigations and hydrographical survey of the region.

During the early developmental stage of Okha Port, the light on Samiyani Island was the only Lighthouse guiding the mariners approaching Okha harbor. There was no light at ‘Vomani Point’, -the site of the present Lighthouse. In the year 1935 a 30 m high steel trestle tower was erected at a site called Okha Point (about 3 km from Vomani Point). A fixed white light (Sr. No F 0392) was exhibited from this tower. This was converted to occulting character light in 1936. The trestle tower was painted red & white. A flag also used to be hoisted from this tower. In the post-independence era, when Kandla was declared as the major port in the Gulf of Kutch, there was a growing demand to improve the entire system of Aids to Navigation in the Gulf of Kutch-Okha region in particular. A modern Lighthouse and a Radio beacon were planned at Okha in the year of 1950. This was the foundation for an important center for Aid to marine Navigational Okha.

The optical equipment supplied by M/s Chance Brothers, Birmingham, was installed on the masonry tower constructed at the present site during 1955-56. The lighthouse was commissioned into service in August 1956 replacing the earlier occulting light. The installation work of ‘Marconi’ Radio beacon was then taken up and Radio beacon was commissioned in October 1959. This equipment was replaced by MACE transmitter in March 1991. In 1969 a baffle wall was constructed to support vibrator for sound horns for the fog signal equipment supplied by B.B.T. Paris. The fog signal service was withdrawn in 1987. The ‘Marconi’ Racon was installed on the lighthouse tower and was commissioned in May 1978. A Buoy yard was also established at the station in 1979 as a support base for Bouy operation for the Salaya deep-water channel leading to Vadinar SBM. The direct drive of optic through stepper motor was incorporated in the May 1996. The incandescent 1500W 110V lamp was replaced by a 250W 230V Metal Halide lamp.In June 1998 the Radio beacon converted into DGPS transmitting station. It was commissioned into service in October 1998. The ‘Marcony’ Racon replaced by ‘Tideland’ make Racon in March 2004. The emergency and main light sources were replaced by cluster of three 150W 230V metal Halide lamps in March 2004. The ‘MACE’ transmitters of Radio Beacon were also replaced by 500W ‘Nautel GPS 1000’ transmitters in May 2004. Okha Lighthouse have one of the Remote Control Stations (RCS) for the automation and remote Control of lighthouses in the region shortly. Okha Lighthouse will also have one of the Radar tower of 60 m high for the VTS for the Gulf of Kutch and in operation since 13 Feb 2012.

Master Ledger of OKHA Lighthouse DGPS And VTS Station(931.9 KB)