By Chris Kamalendran in The Sunday Times, Mar 19, 2023
A passenger ferry service between Kankesanthurai (KKS), Jaffna and Tamil Nadu in India will be launched by the end of next month, Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told the Sunday Times.
He said that Sri Lanka would only be facilitating the ferry service and it would be handled by the Indian authorities.
Minister de Silva said more than Rs 100 million had been spent on constructing the customs area and immigrations area including warehouse facilities and other arrangements for inbound and outbound passengers from KKS.
He said initially the ferry will carry 120 passengers at a time with only one trip a day to and from KKS. However, he said the service would be expanded.
A trip (both ways) would cost Indian Rs 9,000 (SLRS 37,000) and a passenger could carry up to a maximum of 100 kilograms of luggage.
A spokesman for the Indian High Commission said that India was keen to resume the ferry service between the two countries soon.
The ferry service between the two countries earlier operated between Talaimannar and Rameshwaram, but it was suspended in 1981.
https://www.sundaytimes.lk/230319/news/all-set-to-start-ferry-service-between-kks-and-tamil-nadu-says-minister-515172.html
