Sri Lanka (Commonwealth) _ The passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam, India, and Kankesanthurai, Sri Lanka, is scheduled to begin operations on May 13, 2024, according to a statement from the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka.
Originally started in October 2023 by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam, India, and Kankesanthurai, Sri Lanka, is currently run by a private firm called IndSri Ferry Services.According to the Indian High Commission, The Government of India has chosen to pay the appropriate taxes and other levies, which total more than 25 million Sri Lankan Rupees each month, for a period of one year in order to make the service inexpensive and appealing for passengers.
Likewise, the government of Sri Lanka has lowered the deviation fee that is now levied on travelers departing the country by ships and passenger boats.It will be noted that the Government of India has also given grant assistance of USD 63.65 million to the Government of Sri Lanka for the rehabilitation of the KKS Harbour, which was previously planned to be carried out under a Line of Credit, the statement continued.
This aligns with India’s strong commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and development toward prosperity, both independently and in close partnership with India.Enhancing the marine link between India and Sri Lanka was a crucial element of the joint vision document for economic relations signed during the visit of the Sri Lankan president in July 2023.
The ferry service’s return is confirmation of the Indian government’s people-first policy.Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi emphasized in his speech during the service’s October 2023 debut that connectivity is about more than just connecting two cities—it’s about connecting nations and their citizens.He said that when multimodal connectivity between our two nations is increased, the people of Sri Lanka would gain from the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which was announced during the September 2023 G20 conference in India.
According to the statement, future plans include for building a two-way multipurpose pipeline, connecting the energy grid, and creating a land connectivity economic corridor in order to improve connectivity with Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, for a year, the Government of India has committed to pay about LKR 25 million in monthly operation costs and associated levies at Nagapattinam port for the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam, India, and Kankesanthurai (KKS).
The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), which began operating passenger ferries in October 2023, plans to bring the service back on May 13, 2024. It will be run by a private company called IndSri Ferry Services, which SCI chose after consulting with the Sri Lankan government (GOSL).
The Government of India has decided to pay the necessary taxes and other costs up to LKR 25 million each month for a year in order to make the service both inexpensive and appealing to passengers. Comparably, the GOSL has lowered the deviation fee that is now levied on travelers departing Sri Lanka via ships and passenger boats.
Recall that the GOSL was also given a grant assistance of USD 63.65 million by the Government of India for the renovation of the KKS Harbour, which was originally supposed to be done through a Line of Credit. The Memorandum of Understanding on Passenger Transportation by Sea formed the India-Sri Lanka Joint Committee.
The topic of the fruitful talks was the restoration of ferry services linking the two nations’ mutually agreed-upon locations. According to the announcement, all parties agreed that the restoration of boat services will strengthen people-to-people relations and increase regional trade and tourism.
The Nagapattinam Shipping Harbour Department said on Thursday that, as a promotional offer for customers sailing on the ferry on October 14th (for a single day), they are offering a special ticket of ₹2,800, which comprises ₹2,375 and an 18% tax. At this rate, the standard price is reduced by 75%. At first, each person’s ticket price for the trip to Sri Lanka was set at ₹7,670, which included ₹6,500 and 18% GST.
