• By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama

Passenger vessel ‘Sivagangai’ is all set to resume ferry services between Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka and Nagapattinam in India on May 13.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai on October 14, 2023, with the aim of reinstating passenger ferry connections between the two countries after a 40-year gap.
However, natural technical issues posed some obstacles to continuing this service. 

The ship Sivagangai has a capacity of 150 passengers and is scheduled to cost Rs.34,200 (INR 8400), including taxes, for a two-way fare.
A passenger will also be allowed to carry 60 kilogrammes of luggage on board. However, the weight of a package is limited to 20 kilogrammes.

Speaking to Mirror Business, Ferry Services Managing Director S. Niranjan Nandagopan shared that the preparations have been made to offer premier seat reservations on the ship’s top deck, providing an enhanced ocean-view experience for special guests and tourists. 
This service will incur an additional charge and adjustments will be made to account for the passenger’s weight distribution.

Amidst various explanations for the delay in the ferry service, it has been revealed that the Tamil Nadu government has proposed the collection of tolls from the passengers for utilising the Nagapattinam port.
The central government of India will allocate 7.2 million Indian rupees per month to the Tamil Nadu government as a port usage fee for a duration of 12 months.