There are many old timers who remember their first visit to another country – almost without exception, it was to India. They went to Talaimannar by train, took the ferry to Rameswaram in Southern India and took another train to reach Chennai or their ultimate destination. The train-ferry ride was an adventure in itself.
Alas, this Talaimannar-Rameswaram ferry service, very popular in its heyday, fell victim to the protracted conflict in Sri Lanka’s North. It enjoyed a brief revival a couple of years after the war ended, but it was short-lived as various problems cropped up. Now there are signs that it could be revived again, this time for good.
Sri Lanka is keen to resume ferry service with India to boost tourism and hopes the initiative will be made before this year-end, Tourism Minister John Amaratunga has said. “There was a ferry service between the tip of South India and to the northern part of Sri Lanka. It was not only to carry people but also cargo between the two countries. But, the service was abandoned. The infrastructure still remains,” Minister Amaratunga said.
The Minister said he undertook a visit to the Talaimannar pier where the infrastructure was still present. “It is from the South Indian side (Rameswaram) that efforts need to be taken up”. Amaratunga was talking to reporters on the sidelines of an event organized by Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. Noting that the ferry service was in existence in the ‘good old days’, he said, adding that certain problems occurred both in Sri Lanka and India leading to the service getting abandoned. He said talks were on at Government level to resume the service.
There was a railway line near the jetty close to the Talaimannar pier and it can take passengers from there to any part of Sri Lanka, he said. He noted that the Sri Lankan Government was anxious to resume the service. He has called on Indian authorities to expedite the approvals process on their side and expressed the hope that the ferry would run before year end.
This would be a win-win situation for passengers in both countries. Indians now enjoy visa-free status in Sri Lanka, which is an impetus for visiting the island nation. India is already the leading source of tourists to Sri Lanka and the ferry would only strengthen this position. Sri Lankans too enjoy a much easier e-visa process to India. The biggest advantage is that a ferry ticket, one-way or return, is generally much cheaper than a plane ticket for a foot passenger.
There is another advantage – passengers will be able to take their cars on the ferry to either destination with the relevant customs paperwork. This poses no problems as both countries drive on the left. Imagine getting into your car from Colombo and ending up the drive in Chennai or vice versa. It is theoretically possible for buses and goods transport trucks to be accommodated, but such logistical matters would have to be cleared up before the ferry commences operations.
It goes without saying that the train service at both ends should be upgraded with A/C compartments, display screens, announcements, buffet service etc for the comfort of passengers, some of who may be travelling to either country for the first time. Very soon, trains on the Northern line would be able to travel at 120 Km/h, enabling faster travel to India should the ferry begin services. The ferry itself should have all creature comforts, with a business class for passengers who prefer more amenities and table service.
Ferry or boat services between countries that share a maritime border are very common. France and England obviously come to mind, as do Germany and Sweden, Japan and South Korea, Singapore and Indonesia and USA and Canada. These countries ensure a smooth passage for passengers from either country plus any passengers from third countries, say, a Sri Lankan using the ferry to go to France from the UK. The proper infrastructure and services (restrooms, restaurants, shops, transport links, taxis, passenger lounges, information kiosks, display screens) are available at the ferry terminals for the convenience of passengers and visitors. Colombo, Talaimannar and Rameswaram ports should have such facilities to offer a superior service to passengers.
For a maritime nation, Sri Lanka makes little use of its waterways for goods and passenger transport. Let’s get one thing out of the way – questions have been raised why boats cannot be used to transport people around the island say, from Galle to Trincomalee. This is not very feasible, thanks to the rough seas and currents that usually prevail. It may not be cost effective too, since the road and rail links are generally good. But the fact that we are not using any of the inland waterways is somewhat surprising, given the extent to which they are used even in less developed countries than ours.
Things are changing in this regard, if recent initiatives are anything to go by. The Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation has taken steps to launch a passenger boat service from Colombo Fort to Union Place through the Beira Lake to ease traffic congestion in the city. The first observation tour of the air conditioned passenger boat created by the Sri Lanka Navy took place under the patronage of the Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, Patali Champika Ranawaka recently. With the launch of this service, it is possible to travel from Colombo Fort to Union Place in less than 15 minutes. The boat service has been identified as an ideal solution to ease traffic congestion.
The Cabinet in August 2018 approved the project to maintain an Inland Water Transport service across the canals and waterways as a Public Private Partnership project. Initially, the service from Battaramulla to Wellawatta from Fort to Union Place via Beira Lake, from Mattakkuliya to Hanwella across the Kelani River and other waterways received Cabinet approval. This is a welcome development that should see full fruition if reasonable fares are on offer to the commuters. The Sri Lankan Government has also completed a pre-feasibility study on inland water transport in the planned Megapolis urban project with Dutch Government support and investment proposals would be called soon. EOIs (expressions of interest) and RFP (request for proposals) documents have been prepared with Dutch Government help and will be submitted soon.
This could be the beginning of a new era of water-based transport in Sri Lanka, which has a good number of canals, rivers and man-made tanks, some of which are thousands of years old, having been built by ancient kings. Water will surely add another, novel dimension to the transport networks in the country.