The passenger ferry service connecting India's Nagapattinam and Sri Lanka's Kankesanthurai (KKS) will commence operations tomorrow (October 10), Ports, Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva announced.
Addressing the meida, he said the passenger ferry service experienced a delay of almost six months due to various reasons.
A trial session for the service was conducted on August 8.
As per the schedule, the passenger vessel named "Cheriyapani" is set to depart from Nagapattinam Port to Kankesanthurai Port tomorrow at 12:30 PM.
The maiden voyage will carry approximately 50 passengers, and the vessel is scheduled to return to Nagapattinam at 4:00 PM on the same day.
The high-speed vessel "Cheriyapani," measuring 35 meters in length and 9.6 meters in height, is owned by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and has a capacity of accommodating 150 passengers.
The journey from Nagapattinam to Kankesanthurai Port is estimated to take approximately four hours, with a one-way ticket costing Rs. 26,750 and a round-trip ticket priced at Rs. 53,500.
The operators of the passenger ferry service have indicated that each passenger is allowed to carry up to 50 kilograms of luggage. The operation and marketing of this ferry service are managed by the Sri Lankan company "Asha Agency Ltd," and a ticket sales agent has also been appointed in Jaffna.
Minister de Silva highlighted that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has invested Rs. 450 million to construct a modern passenger terminal at the Kankesanthurai port.
This terminal is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including provisions for immigration, Customs and health services.
Furthermore, the Minister said that the initiation of the passenger ferry service was the result of extensive discussions between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of India and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation of Sri Lanka.
The vessel "Cheriyapani," which undertook a trial voyage yesterday, was also inspected by the relevant authorities. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)
