Sri Lanka is scheduled to resume passenger ferry service with India at the end of April not only providing affordable transport facilities between the two neighbours but also further strengthening people-to-people relations.
According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, the operations of the passenger ferry service between Kankesanthurai and Pondicherry are scheduled to recommence on April 29.
The two neighbouring countries share a long and rich history of cultural and trade connections that date back to ancient times.
Once the civil war ended in 2009, several attempts were made to restart this cross-national transportation service and ultimately, a ferry service was resumed after 20 years in June 2011. However, the short-lived service was abandoned soon after.
Following a gap of another decade topped with an economic crisis, Sri Lankans are again hopeful of resuming the passenger ferry service with India which helped the country survive through its worst economic and political crisis in recent history.
Apart from providing easy transport facilities mainly for Sri Lankans travelling India to visit religious places, the ferry service could also help Sri Lankans buy essential items from India.
Ultimately, the ferry service can be beneficial for the ailing economy of Sri Lanka. It can create employment opportunities for locals, both in India and Sri Lanka, and boost the tourism industry, especially since Indians top foreign tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka. The ferry service can also provide an opportunity for the development of supporting infrastructure such as hotels, restaurants, and other amenities that can further enhance the tourist experience.
The ferry service can also promote cultural exchange and enhance regional connectivity. The governments of both countries must take the necessary steps to make this a reality and work towards realizing the potential benefits of a ferry service between India and Sri Lanka.
The ferry service between India and Sri Lanka can also play a crucial role in promoting Buddhist ties between the two countries. Buddhism has a rich history in both India and Sri Lanka, and the ferry service can provide an opportunity to strengthen the cultural and religious bond between the two countries.
The ferry service can help in promoting religious tourism not only in terms of Buddhist sites but also in relation to Hindu, Christian and Islamic religious sites between the two countries. The ferry service can provide a means of transporting devotees and participants to these sites as well as for festivals and cultural events, promoting cultural exchange and understanding.
As both countries prepare themselves to recommence the ferry service, ferry owners have said that they will be charging 50 US Dollars per passenger for a one-way trip, while allowing a passenger to carry baggage weighing 100kg.
This was disclosed during a discussion held in late March with Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva.
A ferry is expected to carry 150 passengers at a time and will take around 4 hours to travel from Karaikal Port in Pondicherry to Kankesanthurai.
According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, a passenger terminal is currently being constructed at the Kankesanthurai Port to facilitate the ferry service.
The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has provided a financial facility of Rs. 144 million for the total constructions that are carried out by the Sri Lanka Navy.
The Minister also stated that the expansion activities of the Port of Kankesanthurai will be expedited and the Sri Lankan government has already requested 16 million US Dollars from the Indian Exim Bank due to the credit grant facility granted by India for construction becoming insufficient at present.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Navy said that it has joined Kankasanthurai Harbour facility expansion in February to commence new ferry service between Sri Lanka and India.
In support of the project to provide a more affordable and convenient mode of transportation between the two countries, the Sri Lanka Navy has commenced facility expansion of the Kankasanthurai Harbour, with a view to accommodate more traffic and provide better infrastructure.
Following the directives of the Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, the Sri Lanka Navy has taken an active role in supporting the expansion of the Kankasanthurai Harbour facility by enabling its manpower and expertise, in response to a request of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation.
As discussed between Minister De Silva and India’s Ministry of External Affairs on March 26, two immigration and emigration offices, one each in Kankesanthurai and Karaikal, would be set up to facilitate the ferry service.
Minister De Silva has also said that the Sri Lanka railway service can also be connected with the passenger ferry service, and thus revive the pre-Independence, Colombo-Chennai train travel by the ‘Boat Mail’, with an intervening ferry trip from Danushkodi / Rameswaram to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Highways and Minor Ports Minister E. V. Velu has said that efforts are underway to launch a short ferry service between Rameswaram and Sri Lanka in a few months’ time.
Accordingly, the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board has sent a detailed project report to the Union government for approval.
