False Point Lighthouse was constructed as a landfall light for Calcutta Port. Ever moving sand heads of Bay of Bengal caused hurdles to ships proceeding to Calcutta (now Kolkata) port, and after loosing several of their ships in these sand heads, British India Government asked the Marine Wing under the Agricultural, Revenue and Commerce Department of Government of Bengal to erect a lighthouse on the mouth of Mahanadi River, from where the ships can take direction to the mouth of Hoogly - the entrance of Calcutta Port.