Tuticorin-Colombo ferry service soon

The ferry service between Tuticorin and Colombo is expected to resume soon and additional infrastructure facilities will be created at the Tuticorin port in India.

The work would be taken up in the first week of November and completed in a month, A. Subbiah, Deputy Chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust, told ‘The Hindu' on Wednesday (27).

Amenities were put in place at the Port Trust during 2003-04 to facilitate passenger traffic but the decision on resumption of ferry service was put on hold due to security threats, he said.

The passenger terminal would have increased surveillance under Central Industrial Security Force such as establishing a passport reader, scanner, exclusive counters for customs and immigration facilities, cabins for officials, child care centre, cafeteria and a helpline. A series of consultative meetings had been conducted with officials of Customs, Immigration and Port Health to ensure preparedness, Subbiah said.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Indian Union Minister for Shipping G.K. Vasan said a high-level delegation headed by the Secretary (Shipping) visited Colombo on 14 -15 October and held discussion with officials of the Sri Lankan Government.

He stated that the delegation had discussed with its counterparts, Minister of Ports and Aviation of Sri Lanka and finalised the details of the Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between the two countries. All efforts were being made to begin the ferry service at the earliest, the Hindu further reported. (www.info.gov.lk)