March 28, 2024
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    Navy’s assistance for Passenger Transportation between Jaffna islands under President’s approval

    October 19, 2016

    Ministry of Defense has taken steps to render naval contribution to regulate transportation among islands in the Jaffna peninsula. The program has been carried out according to the instructions of President Maithripala  Sirisena as the Minister of Defense.

    Navy would render the manpower needed for this project to construct piers and buildings. Coastal passenger transportation services are relevant to the Ministry of Ports and Shipping. The tasks of increasing the quality of the vessels which are being used in the passenger transportation, construction of piers around islands, responsibility of ensuring the protection of passengers and the activities related to regulation and supervision are included.

     

    Government has allocated 50 million rupees in this year to regulate the coastal transportation between islands located in the Jaffna peninsula. Minister of Ports and Shipping Arjuna Ranatunga presented a Cabinet Paper with the title “Develop Jetty facilities in the Jaffna peninsula and suburban islands to transport passengers and cargo safety” for the sake of the manpower from navy to this project. The Cabinet Paper states that task of constructing piers and buildings are expected to be carried out by the Jaffna District Secretary with expertise of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

     

    Out of the 11 islands in Jaffna peninsula, only seven islands are populated. They are namely, Kurikattuwan, Nagadeepa, Delft, Analathivu, Eluwathivu, Kayts and Kareinagar. Even though few islands could be accessed through artificial routes, other islands could be accessed only through marine routes. The technical issues related to piers and vessels that have been used for the passenger transportation have created a high risk and therefore, the leading expectation of the prevailing government is to regulate the coastal transportation. Ministry of Ports and Shipping has already taken steps to construct a slip way in Suruvil which could examine the technical condition of the vessels and to establish a sub office of Merchant Shipping secretary in Kayts, Jaffna.

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