Tamil Nadu-Jaffna ferry ‘Sivagangai’ completes maiden journey

 The ferry ‘Sivagangai’ run by a private operator, IndSri Ferry Services, completed its maiden journey between Nagapattinam and Kakesanthurai (KKS) in approximately 4 hours with around 44 passengers on board. The passengers were welcomed at the KKS port by the Consul General of India at Jaffna.

IndSri Ferry Services Private Limited, a subsidiary of Subham Group of Companies, is operating the international service after the previous operator, which relaunched the service between the regions after nearly four decades in October 2023 through another ferry, suspended it soon after citing monsoon.

Sundarraj Ponnusamy, the CEO of Subham Group, said, “The service will support those interested in visiting places of religious, historical and cultural significance, and those visiting to improve their businesses.” Niranjan Nanthagopan, the MD of IndSri Ferry Services Private Limited, said the service can be operated 10 months a year.

The new ferry ‘Sivagangai’, which offers 123 economy seats and 27 premium economy seats, is operated by a 15-member crew led by the captain.

According to the Indian High Commission, the resumption of ferry service is a "testament to the broader effort to enhance maritime connectivity between India and Sri Lanka." To ensure the smooth resumption of this ferry service, the government of India has also decided to provide financial assistance of over LKR 25 million per month, for one year, to cover relevant charges and operating costs at Nagapattinam port.

The High Commission also referred to the restoration of the KKS port, for which India has committed a grant of USD 63.65 million under a line of credit. India is keen on maximizing the use of the port for the service of the ferry. India's economic and business interest in the North-East is a cornerstone of its diplomatic ties with connectivity by air and sea being high on its agenda. The High Commissioner to India Santhosh Jha has during previous instances remarked that the Indian government is keen on pursuing increased connectivity between the two regions. The High Commission noted that "future plans include the exploration of additional routes and services that will further expand connectivity and economic collaboration." 

“Connectivity undoubtedly is the central pillar of our emerging partnership,” said Jha. “When I speak of connectivity, I mean all its dimensions – air, maritime, trade, digital, energy or people-to-people connectivity. Daily flights between Jaffna and Chennai and the launch of ferry services between India and Northern Sri Lanka are some of the latest steps in this direction.”

The Indian government is also keen on carrying out a feasibility study for the construction of a 23-kilometer bridge connecting Tamil Nadu’s Dhanushkodi to Tamil Eelam’s Talaimannar. The proposal for a sea bridge between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar has been a subject of discussion for over two decades. Several Sri Lankan governments, however, have remained staunchly opposed to such a move, with Sinhala nationalists claiming with such a bridge “sovereignty will be destroyed”.

Sinhalisation of Kankesanthurai (KKS)

Following the closure of the ferry service in 1981, KKS fell under Sri Lanka's Naval control between 1983 and 1993. People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) has highlighted in a report from 2020 that this militarization follows a long history of economic discrimination. 

Through forced displacement, Bhuddhisization, militarization, and economic development the government of Sri Lanka has been able to carry out the Sinhalization of KKS. 

KKS is of strategic importance to the Sri Lankan government due to its proximity to India. The area is situated near the coast making it rich with agricultural and fishing potential.

In the 80s' the KKS harbor was left underdeveloped despite Tamils asking the government to develop the town. The area was also excluded from processes of development when "Sri Lanka's governmental regulations prevented the establishment of Free Trade Zones outside of Colombo", these regulations ensured that economic benefits remained within Sinhalese regions.