Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_ According to officials in Colombo, a long-awaited passenger ferry service between Sri Lanka and India is all set to begin at the end of April. This service is a restart of a ferry service that was suspended several decades ago when air travel became more prevalent. Moreover, the journey from Karaikal Port in Pondicherry, southern India, to Kankesanthurai Port in northern Sri Lanka will take approximately four hours, and the ship will accommodate 150 passengers at a time. Further, one-way reservations are priced at $50 USD.
Pondicherry is approximately 2,365 kilometers from capital Delhi, while Kankesanthurai is approximately 415 kilometers from capital Colombo. During the first stage of the service, officials mentioned that only daytime services will be provided, and that each passenger will be permitted to carry 100 kg of luggage. Further, the new service will help boost tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka as India is its largest market source for tourism. As the majority of the Tamil minority living in northern Sri Lanka has many relatives in Tamil Nadu and shares cultural traditions and customs with Tamils in southern India, this service would be advantageous for them.
The proposed passenger ship service between Sri Lanka and India will also strengthen the transportation connections between the two countries. Additionally, a second ferry service between Dhanushkody, Rameshwaram in India, and Talaimannar is also set to be launched. Many Hindu pilgrims from India annually travel to Sri Lanka to visit popular religious sites such as the Seethai Amman Temple in Nuwara Eliya and the Rampai Anjaneyar Temple, and others. As a result, this ferry service will increase tourist numbers to Sri Lanka as passengers can travel at a lower cost compared to air travel. These tourists can also visit popular places in Jaffna.
Similarly, a large number of Sri Lankans travel to India for different purposes, and this service will benefit them to a greater extent. Hence, this passenger ship service will significantly enhance tourism, commerce, and cultural exchange between the two nations. People from both countries are eagerly awaiting this service, and it will provide Sri Lanka, which is experiencing an economic crisis, with an opportunity to generate revenue through tourism. Earlier, the Colombo-Tuticorin and Talaimannar-Rameshwaram services were suspended in 1982 owing to the civil war.
