After 41 long years, the ferry service from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kakkesanthurai in northern Sri Lanka is all set to resume on August 16.
The cruise ship called ‘Sivaganga’ will be operated by a private firm called Indsri Ferry Services Pvt Ltd, through the age-old sea route, which has turned into contention due to the issues in the Park Strait between the Sri Lankan navy and Tamil fishermen.
The ferry service is expected to fulfil the long-standing demand for a reliable sea route between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Initially, the ferry service was supposed to begin in October 2023. However, due to the non-availability of an exclusive ferry, the Shipping Corporation of India put it on hold. It was later scheduled to begin in May 2024. But again it was delayed for various reasons.
The ferry service will run for seven days a week and take four long hours for the cruise to reach Kankesanthurai from Nagapattinam and vice versa. The cruise ship Sivaganga has 133 seats in the ordinary class and 27 seats in the premium class. The ticket price for a one-way journey is close to Rs 5,000 for ordinary class and Rs 7,500 for premium class. The passengers can carry up to 60 kg in luggage and 5 kg in handbags. The online sale of ferry tickets is now open and available through the counter at Nagapattinam Port.
Initially, the ferry services were planned from Karaikal to Kakesanthurai. As Karaikal port is used for industrial purposes the Nagapattinam port was chosen for passenger services. At the Nagapattinam port, there are separate lounges for health, security checks and baggage scanning. The ferry service had come up with a cheaper price at a time when Indigo had launched exclusive services to the Palaly airport in Jaffna.
The ferry service from Nagapattinam to Kakesanthurai is looked at as a strategic move by India to have a hold in the Sri Lankan waters. The second issue is to watch the smuggling and infiltration through the international waters. Intelligence sources say that it will also ensure that this will help in continuing the cultural relationship with Sri Lanka.