Nagapattinam-Sri Lanka passenger ferry service delayed again; tickets refunded until February 15

CHENNAI: The passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and the Kankesanthurai (KKS) suburb of Jaffna district in Sri Lanka has been delayed once again due to technical certification issues. Passengers who had booked tickets for travel until February 15 have been issued refunds.

According to a Maalaimalar report, The Subham Shipping Company has announced that the new date for resumption will be announced shortly.

To strengthen the cultural ties between the people of the two countries and to provide the opportunity to experience the traditions, foods, and languages, a high-speed passenger ferry was inaugurated on October 14, 2023, under the name 'Cheriyapani'.

The service was suspended on October 23, 2023, due to the northeast monsoon and other factors.

The Subham Shipping Company had planned to restart the service with a new ferry, 'Sivaganga,' which began operations on August 16, 2024. The ferry operated five days a week, but was again halted due to the ongoing monsoon rains.

The direct passenger ferry ship service connecting Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu to Kankesanthurai port near Jaffna covers a distance of 111 kilometres (60 nautical miles) in approximately three and a half hours, depending on sea conditions.

Though the service was initially planned between Karaikal and Kankesanthurai, subsequently, the route was altered from Nagapattinam as Karaikal port has been focussing on coal shipments, particularly, for industrial purposes, and in that case, it might be risky for the facility to handle passenger services.

After the agreement between India and Sri Lanka, the Nagapattinam port was readied with an allocation of Rs 3 crore for port modernisation and construction of separate lounges for obtaining citizenship, medical examination, security check and baggage scanning.

Started in 1914 under colonial rule, the service was operated by the Ceylon Government Railway and the South Indian Railway. It was first partially stopped due to a cyclone in 1964, and then came to a complete standstill when the civil war started between the Tamil rebels and the Sri Lankan army in 1984.

Passengers can book tickets on the passenger ferry service here: http://sailindsri.com/