Operational Indian lighthouses operate under the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways). Visitor access to the public observation galleries is strictly regulated, generally between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM on designated days. A nominal entrance ticket is issued on site. Electronic baggage screening is enforced, and direct physical access to the mercury bath rotation room or the Fresnel lens chamber is strictly cordoned off.
Historic 19th-century granite and cast-iron towers feature steep, narrow internal spiral staircases consisting of 120 to 220 steps. Individuals with acute vertigo, cardiopulmonary conditions, or restricted mobility should exercise caution before ascending. During severe monsoon squalls or cyclonic warnings (June to September), high focal galleries are closed immediately to public visitors for maritime security.
From the treacherous tidal flats of the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambhat to the rocky promontories of Konkan, Kanara, and the Malabar Seaboard: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala.
From the storm-swept Coromandel, Andhra, and Kalinga seaboards to the Hooghly delta and remote oceanic frontiers of Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Oceanic Atolls.