- ‘Cheriyapani’ can ferry 150 persons with 50 kg luggage each in 4 hrs, round ticket Rs. 53,500
Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva announced that the passenger ferry service connecting India's Nagapattinam and Sri Lanka's Kankesanthurai (KKS), would commence operations today (10).
The passenger vessel named "Cheriyapani" is set to depart on its maiden voyage carrying 50 passengers from the Nagapattinam Port to the Kankesanthurai Port today at 12:30 p.m. The vessel is scheduled to return to Nagapattinam at 4 p.m. on the same day.
The high speed vessel "Cheriyapani", measuring 35 metres in length and 9.6 metres in height, is owned by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) and has a capacity of accommodating 150 passengers.
The journey from Nagapattinam to the Kankesanthurai Port is estimated to take approximately four hours, with a one-way ticket costing Rs. 26,750 and a round-trip ticket priced at Rs. 53,500. The operators of the passenger ferry service have indicated that each passenger is allowed to carry up to 50 kilograms (kg) of luggage. The operation and marketing of this ferry service are managed by the Sri Lankan company Asha Agency Limited, and a ticket sales agent has also been appointed in the city of Jaffna.
The Ports Authority has invested Rs. 450 million to construct a modern passenger terminal at the Port of Kankesanthurai. This terminal is equipped with facilities, including provisions for immigration, customs, and health services.