Sri Lanka’s southernmost Dondra Head lighthouse will be opened for public viewing from Thursday (May 04), the Port and shipping Ministry said. The opening ceremony will take place under the patronage of the Minister of Ports and Shipping Arjuna Ranatunga. Deputy Minister of Ports and Shipping Nishantha Mutuhettigama, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Dammika Ranatunga and several other distinguished guests will attend the occasion. Dondra Head Lighthouse, operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, is located on Dondra Head on the extreme southern tip of Sri Lanka.
The Dondra Head lighthouse, built by the British at a cost of 30000 sterling pounds in 1887, is one of the tallest in South East Asia at 49 m (161 ft). It has seven floors with a 196-step long staircase. It is considered as one of the four leading lighthouses in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Ports Authority renovated the lighthouse in 2000 but it was not opened for public due to the absence of clear routs and to security issues.
Minister Arjuna Ranatunga had advised officials to make needed renovations to open the lighthouse for public viewing, the Ministry said. According to the Ministry of Ports and shipping, the lighthouse and the surrounding area have been developed as a tourist attraction. Special programs including a set of programs for foreigners are planned to be implemented to uplift the facilities in the surrounding area and attract tourists.
(See more: http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/May04_1493869877CH.php)
Diethelm Travel Sri Lanka 