Armagon Shoal Lighthouse

Armagon lighthouse lies in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. The lighthouse station is about 80 km from Naidupettai railway station (near Gudur). The last leg of about 5 km of the approach to station is only a cart track involving crossing of Buckingham Canal and bullock cart has to be engaged for the transport. The light house marks the shoal about 6 NM off the shore. Mr Stevenson after his visit to station in 1926 had reported of low power DA gas burner. He also mentioned that the station was unhealthy.

 
A circular masonry Lighthouse tower about 30m high was constructed in 1853. The first light was an oil lamp with optic installed on this tower. In 1902 third order optic and group flashing DA gas light replaced the fixed light. This equipment remained in position till 1928 when the Lighthouse was abandoned due to heavy Malarial attack and keepers dying one after the other. The station remained closed for a long time as the measures for eradication of mosquitoes from the station and the adjoining areas took number of years. The attempts to install a sun valve in order to convert the station into an unattended station did not first succeed. The station was made operational in 1938.

 
After the lapse of about 40 years the project for the construction of a new 37m Lighthouse tower was taken up and PRB 21 equipment obtained from M/s Asia Navigational Aids, New Delhi was installed and commissioned on 20th March 1983. The old tower was dismantled up to half its height and modified to support the water tank for the supply of water to the station.Site status unknown.