Ahmedabad, Oct 9 (PTI) The National Maritime Heritage Complex in Gujarat’s Lothal will boost growth and help local communities, tourists and others, said Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel after the Union cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal to develop the project.
Patel also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision. The NMHC is expected to create 22,000 jobs, with 15,000 direct employment and 7,000 indirect employment, according to an official statement.
In a post on X, Patel said, “Heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble PM Narendra Modi and Union cabinet for giving approval to the development of world-class National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal in Gujarat.”
Once developed fully, he said, NMHC will be the world’s greatest maritime complex.
“While showcasing India’s 4,500 years old rich and diverse maritime heritage, NMHC will boost growth and immensely help the local communities, tourists and visitors, researchers and scholars, government bodies, educational institutions, cultural organisations, NGOs and businesses,” he said.
The complex will have features like a lighthouse museum, ship-building experience, docks and old Lothal town. These will make this complex truly unique, transporting visitors to a different era, he said.
Located in the Ahmedabad district, Lothal is an ancient Indus Valley Civilization and Harappan site.
The master plan of NMHC has been prepared by renowned architecture firm Architect Hafeez Contractor and the construction of Phase 1A has been entrusted to Tata Projects Ltd, said an official release.
NMHC is planned to be developed in various phases, wherein Phase 1A will have an NMHC museum with 6 galleries, which also include an Indian Navy and Coast Guard gallery envisaged to be one of the largest in the country.
Phase 2 will have coastal state pavilions, a hospitality zone, recreation of real-time Lothal City, a maritime institute and hostel and four theme-based parks, it said.