India grants USD 61.5 million for the development of Jaffna-KKS Port
“As part of the project, a new breakwater will be constructed, and the port will be dredged up to a depth of 30 meters to accommodate deep-draft vessels”.
The port suburb’s ferry terminal connects Kankesanthurai with Karaikal Port in Puducherry southeast of Tamil Nadu.
According to the Government Information Department, during the discussion, the Indian High Commissioner expressed India’s commitment to enhancing regional cooperation between the two nations and pledged the fullest assistance to attract more Indian tourists to Sri Lanka.
The Commissioner also stated that the Indian Government has designated Sri Lanka as the top travel destination for Indian tourists.
In response, the Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, conveyed gratitude on behalf of the Sri Lankan Government and his Ministry for the support provided by the Indian Government in the fields of aviation and shipping. He particularly praised the commencement of flights between Chennai and Jaffna.
Furthermore, the Minister mentioned the construction of a new terminal costing Rs. 600 million at the KKS port to cater to the convenience of Indian tourists. He highlighted that over the past nine months, a significant number of Indian tourists have visited the island.
“Plans to initiate a ferry service route from KKS to Nagapattinam were recently stalled, as the costs to make the journey between the two points was not financially viable, resulting in high ticket prices”, quoting the Indian High Commissioner, Information Department said.
Regular passenger services from KKS to Nagapattinam were scheduled to start in February, but have not yet started.
END.
