Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshadweep on 2 and 3 January, as part of his South India visit which also included programs in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The PM reached Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, 2nd January, from there he flew to Agatti in Lakshadweep on the same day. He spent the night in union territory, attended several programs, before moving to Kerala for a road show on 3rd January.
Today PM Modi shared several photographs on X, showing that apart from attending public programs, he also took part in some adventurous activities in the scenic islands. He tried snorkelling, and shared photographs on the same. He tweeted, “During my stay, I also tried snorkelling – what an exhilarating experience it was!”
For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2024
During my stay, I also tried snorkelling – what an exhilarating experience it was! pic.twitter.com/rikUTGlFN7
PM Modi also shared two underwater photographs of coral reefs and other marine life. He tweeted, “For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list.”
He also shared images of enjoying some time on the beach, saying, “In addition to the scenic beauty, Lakshadweep’s tranquility is also mesmerising. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on how to work even harder for the welfare of 140 crore Indians.” PM Modi said he took early morning walks “along the pristine beaches” which proved to be “moments of pure bliss”.
In addition to the scenic beauty, Lakshadweep's tranquility is also mesmerising. It gave me an opportunity to reflect on how to work even harder for the welfare of 140 crore Indians. pic.twitter.com/VeQi6gmjIM
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2024
After PM Modi posted those images, the number of searches for the terms Lakshadweep and snorkelling skyrocketed. The Google searches for snorkelling has jumped by over 2000%, while the searches for Lakshadweep has increased by around 350%.
This shows a massive increase of people on Lakshadweep, including the snorkelling activity. It is notable that snorkelling is the activity of swimming under water while breathing ambient water using a tube called snorkel. This allows people to observe the underwater environment by swimming just under the water surface. As a tube is use to breath ambient air, it does not require oxygen tank, which is needed in diving.
Snorkelling is a popular recreational activity at beach resort locations, and Lakshadweep has plenty of such locations which can give a boost to tourism in the islands.
During his visit to Lakshadweep, the Prime Minister inaugurated development projects worth more than Rs 1,150 crore. One major project is the inauguration of the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fiber Connection (KLI-SOFC) project, which he had announced in his independence day speech in 2020. This will lead to an increase of internet speed for more than 100 times, from 1.7 Gbps to 200 Gbps, in the UT. This is the first Submarine Optic Fibre Cable connection for Lakshadweep.
PM Modi also dedicated the Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination plant at Kadmat to the nation, which will produce 1.5 lakh litres of clean drinking water every day.
