Road & rail link between India's Rameswaram and Sri Lanka's Thalaimannar could be a reality soon!

[Ryuzaki]

NEW DELHI: A road and rail link between India's Rameswaram and Sri Lanka's Thalaimannar could be a reality soon as the government of India has asked Asian Development Bank to carry out pre-feasibility study for financing the project across Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka.

A short boat ride used to connect the railway lines that ended at Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka and Dhanushkodi in India, which was in operation till 1966.

The Project may be a combination of bridge and underwater tunnel which may allow unhindered movement of ships. As the project is in the conceptual stage, it is too early to comment on the time bound programme of this project.

However, the government of SriLanka is yet to give its nod to the project, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Pon. Radhakrishnan informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Read more at:
Road & rail link between India's Rameswaram and Sri Lanka's Thalaimannar could be a reality soon! - The Economic Times

 

[Gibbs]

All the news coming from the Indian side.. Sri Lankan authorities have not agreed to this yet.. Doubt they will, Many good reasons for that

 

[Manindra]

All the news coming from the Indian side.. Sri Lankan authorities have not agreed to this yet.. Doubt they will, Many good reasons for that

Previously Government of Sri Lanka wants to connect with road & rail but Indian Government started 'Setu Samudram Canal Project' but later bogged down due to huge protest of Environmentalist, Hindu Organizations & Economic feasibility.

 

[nair]

All the news coming from the Indian side.. Sri Lankan authorities have not agreed to this yet.. Doubt they will, Many good reasons for that

That is mentioned in the OP itself.......

What are the those reasons?

You know what, the other day i heard the local FM station advertising a casino in colombo..... and i was like ...... Then i checked and found that lot of guys regularly fly to colombo in the week end and gamble and come back........ Probably those guys may find this news interesting.....

 

[Gibbs]

Previously Government of Sri Lanka wants to connect with road & rail but Indian Government started 'Setu Samudram Canal Project' but later bogged down due to huge protest of Environmentalist, Hindu Organizations & Economic feasibility.

I doubt.. Any legit source for that ?

 

[Josef K]

All the news coming from the Indian side.. Sri Lankan authorities have not agreed to this yet.. Doubt they will, Many good reasons for that

For a very long time I have wondered how much it will help the northern parts of Sri Lanka as well as the eastern TN coast economically if they were connected by a causeway. This will increase the traffic to the ports like Jaffna and Trincomalee since they will take away some of the traffic that comes to Chennai or Tuticorin ports. Also, Sri Lanka will benefit from tourists from TN and there will be people to people contact between TN and northern Sri Lankan Tamils. On one hand this entails the risk of Akanda Eelam sentiments being whipped up. But if handles correctly, this will instead serve to cool the sentiments of people in TN who are instigated by the separatist elements, if they see for themselves the actual state of Tamils in SL, while the northern SL Tamils benefit from the economic and trade opportunities such a road-link will bring.

Why wouldn't the Sri Lankans agree? Is it because they are afraid of the possible separatist movements as I mentioned above?

 

[INDIAISM]

All the news coming from the Indian side.. Sri Lankan authorities have not agreed to this yet.. Doubt they will, Many good reasons for that

One reason is more then good enough for them to agree for this project...Direct road and Rail link with India, Bangladesh ,Myanmar ,Nepal, Bhutan atleast...and near future it can go upto Vietnam , Thailand....in short a market of 1.50 Billion + people...

 

[Gibbs]

That is mentioned in the OP itself.......

What are the those reasons?

You know what, the other day i heard the local FM station advertising a casino in colombo..... and i was like ...... Then i checked and found that lot of guys regularly fly to colombo in the week end and gamble and come back........ Probably those guys may find this news interesting.....

The authorities are already having huge issues with illegal smuggling of narcotics, Poaching, Security issues with large number of LTTE cadres having fled to TN trying to sneak back in, Illegal immigration, Significant numbers of Indians working illegally etc..

Add to the fact majority of Lankans fear their sovereignty, Legitimate fear or not, The very reason Lanka is an island saved thier unique culture and traditions different from the mainland

For a very long time I have wondered how much it will help the northern parts of Sri Lanka as well as the eastern TN coast economically if they were connected by a causeway. This will increase the traffic to the ports like Jaffna and Trincomalee since they will take away some of the traffic that comes to Chennai or Tuticorin ports. Also, Sri Lanka will benefit from tourists from TN and there will be people to people contact between TN and northern Sri Lankan Tamils. On one hand this entails the risk of Akanda Eelam sentiments being whipped up. But if handles correctly, this will instead serve to cool the sentiments of people in TN who are instigated by the separatist elements, if they see for themselves the actual state of Tamils in SL, while the northern SL Tamils benefit from the economic and trade opportunities such a road-link will bring.

Why wouldn't the Sri Lankans agree? Is it because they are afraid of the possible separatist movements as I mentioned above?

Will take a while for the majority of the population to get away from that fear.. History have thought them bitter lessons and the ongoing politics of attrition in TN towards the island does'nt give much hope.. Too early to consider

 

[Josef K]

Will take a while for the majority of the population to get away from that fear.. History have thought them bitter lessons and the ongoing politics of attrition in TN towards the island does'nt give much hope.. Too early to consider

I am just seeing a successful precedence here in KSA and Bahrain and wanting to apply it in our own region. The Shias are majority in Bahrain as well as in certain parts in the Eastern province of KSA. However, despite the King Fahad Causeway between these two countries, there is not much of a cross-border sentiment of separatism(whatever sentiments is present is only home-grown and native to the region and not pan-regional). In fact the causeway has really helped Bahraini tourism while also benefitting KSA since Bahraini ports help to unclog the traffic in other ports of KSA. Most of the success in having such a system should be attributed to the intelligence agencies. I think India and SL too, can pull it off.

 

[Manindra]

I doubt.. Any legit source for that ?

I read it a high level former diplomat article regarding Setu Samudram Project in which they mentioned it as Sri Lankan Government want to boost tourism.
I am unable to find article as it is very difficult to scan such old article from hundreds of links from Google search.lated
Lot of people in India want to travel Sri Lanka not for good beaches (its Bonus) but due to Ramayana epic related important place.

 

[Josef K]

but due to Mahabharat epic related important place.

Ramayana

 

[Manindra]

Ramayana

Sorry, mistakenly type that.

 

[sau07]

Spending much on connectivity with SRILANKA will not offer us much return ...better that amt be invested in enhanced regional connectivity within India. Sea route is already there for our trading..and Srilanka have a small economy.

 

[Gibbs]

I am just seeing a successful precedence here in KSA and Bahrain and wanting to apply it in our own region. The Shias are majority in Bahrain as well as in certain parts in the Eastern province of KSA. However, despite the King Fahad Causeway between these two countries, there is not much of a cross-border sentiment of separatism(whatever sentiments is present is only home-grown and native to the region and not pan-regional). In fact the causeway has really helped Bahraini tourism while also benefitting KSA since Bahraini ports help to unclog the traffic in other ports of KSA. Most of the success in having such a system should be attributed to the intelligence agencies. I think India and SL too, can pull it off.

In a perfect scenario yes mate.. But politically it's not all that beneficial.. People to people contact will be a plus point but others not so sure given the attritional politics of the immediate neighbors and how that will fly with majority of Lankans already very jittery about it

 

[Kaniska]

All the news coming from the Indian side.. Sri Lankan authorities have not agreed to this yet.. Doubt they will, Many good reasons for that

I agree..as long as your Tamil people are fully reconciled to your nation...Why would they like to create additional headache?? Even India should not pursue too if this does not go well with sentiment of Srilanka people...