Ferry service between India and Sri Lanka again

13 December 2022 06:14 pm - 14 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A decision has been taken to start a ferry service in mid-January 2023 between South India (Pondicherry), Kankesanthurai (KKS), and Trincomalee, Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

The decision was announced at a meeting held at the Ministry yesterday. He said the Indian Government had extended consent for the service.

"A large number of Indian citizens are engaged in business activities in the Jaffna Peninsula. With such engagement, the new service is expected to generate a large portion of foreign revenue. It will also be of immense convenience for Buddhist pilgrims to India," he said.

During the discussion, ferry owners emphasized that the existing facilities at the ports should be upgraded further to continue providing passenger service.

The Minister instructed the Ministry Secretary to take immediate steps to develop infrastructure related to Customs, Immigration and Emigration and other facilities at the Sri Lankan ports according to Government procurement procedures.

The vessels under the new service will carry 300 to 400 passengers on a trip that will take about three and half hours between destinations, according to ferry owners.

Ferry owners suggested that they would have to charge US$ 60 (About LKR 21,000) per passenger for a single journey and that each passenger could carry up to 100 kg of luggage. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)

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Comments - 14

Arnold Tuesday, 13 December 2022 06:30 PM

Sri Lanka will gain nothing out of it. More Lankans will go to India for shopping, tourism, etc. and from India only smugglers of clothes and food items will come, dealing a death blow to the struggling SMEs and traders due to high taxes, energy and other costs.

Improving Sri Lanka’s economy. Tuesday, 13 December 2022 06:32 PM

Excellent improvements to Sri Lanka. We should do well in years to come. Further the runway in Jaffna international airport should be extended to improve the economy of Sri Lanka.

Janaka Peiris Tuesday, 13 December 2022 10:20 PM

Excellent News!!

kamal Wednesday, 14 December 2022 01:15 AM

You opened an international airport in Jaffna. Now who is going to fly when they can take the ferry?

S B Lokuge Wednesday, 14 December 2022 04:45 AM

Big mistake to start this service. The Indians who use it to come to Sri Lanka will never go back. A life line to Kalla Thonies.

Balasubramaniam Wednesday, 14 December 2022 05:43 AM

Good for business.Very good decision.

Raj Wednesday, 14 December 2022 10:16 AM

S B Lokuge, not sure if Indians will try to migrate to Sri Lanka. In Chennai, India, a building painter earns 1100 INR (around 13 USD ) per day. Not sure how much is the salary in SL right now. I think you are still in the past.

Jay jay Saturday, 17 December 2022 03:41 AM

Our country is still trapped by delusion that Sri Lanka will be an asset for other countries. We are very close to starving like Etopia if we don’t have open minded. The news itself have racial flavours saying the Buddhist could have pilgrimages. It is also true Hindu and Christian’s could have pilgrimages. Please grow up friend and build a strong country

Clock Wednesday, 14 December 2022 11:21 AM

why would anyone with some sense want to live in this country.. no economy or law and order.

Recent traveller to Sri Lanka. Wednesday, 14 December 2022 02:56 PM

@kamal- you are mistaken mate. Have you ever travelled around the world. Your attitude is like a frog in a well. There are people who travel by car, coach, train, commercial plane, private planes, ferries by whatever mode of travel they like to one and the same place. The problem in Sri Lanka I note is no solution to the ethnic problem. As many readers have mentioned it has to be two states in one country like many countries in the world.

Sandya de silva Wednesday, 14 December 2022 08:34 PM

I am so sorry to hear this. My opinion is that it's a disaster. Because 5here will be South Indians who will be over flowing in our country. Even in Sri Lankan embassies in Europe we see long ques for passport no birth certificates a piece of photo copy (affidavit) No body cares who has written it and a tamil person will take the documents and blabla and they get Sri Lankan passport. With false documents and a little money under the file goes a long way to ruining Sri Lanka. We had a 30 year old war claiming its their territory. ELAM. Sorry to say Sri Lanka is asking for trouble. And South Indian population growing soooo fast its easy for India as well. Its Wonderful if the world we make believe exsisted.

Sisira Wednesday, 14 December 2022 10:45 PM

@Recent traveller to Sri Lanka: from the north or canada - reading the same lament from you, with fake names!

Guna Thursday, 15 December 2022 06:39 AM

Sri Lankans are senseless jokers. Even though we read news of Sri lankans escaping in boats from Sri lanka. Sri lankans are projecting that Indians will land in Sri Lankan illegally.

GR Thursday, 15 December 2022 07:54 AM

@ Sandra de silva- your comment is hilarious. In Sri Lankan embassies in Europe there are no Tamil officials. South Indians in Europe have proper documentations otherwise one cannot be in Europe. India never ever claimed North and East of SL belongs to India. The 30 year war was created by the chauvinistic Sinhala governments giving birth to the Tamil militant forces. In which planet and in which century are you living? Probably you have “ no birth certificate a piece of photo copy” in the 21st century !!

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Ferry service between India and Sri Lanka again

Comments - 14

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