Tamil Nadu Proposes Rameswaram–Talaimannar Ferry, Seeks Rs 100 Crore from Centre
The Tamil Nadu government has asked the Centre for financial and administrative support to start an international passenger ferry between Rameswaram, on Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu, and Talaimannar on Mannar Island in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. The two ports are only about 26 nautical miles apart across the Palk Strait, the narrow sea between India and Sri Lanka.
The Tamil Nadu Maritime Board has sought Rs 100 crore for the project, which may be considered under the Centre’s Sagarmala 2.0 programme. The proposal follows an announcement in the state assembly by Highways and Minor Ports Minister Aadhav Arjuna. It is still a proposal and has not yet been approved.
Before it can start, the service would need a bilateral agreement with Sri Lanka, immigration and customs facilities, security arrangements, a jetty and passenger terminal, and environmental clearance.
The plan builds on the Nagapattinam–Kankesanthurai ferry, launched in August 2024 and resumed in February 2025. Up to September 2026, it carried 21,812 passengers from Nagapattinam and 26,242 from Kankesanthurai. The Ministry of External Affairs has extended viability-gap funding for another year, including Rs 6 crore for CISF security and Rs 2 crore for terminal staff. Tamil Nadu is also planning a 500-tonne cargo ferry.
A second ferry route would strengthen India’s coastal and regional shipping links and people-to-people ties with Sri Lanka. If approved, it would also create jobs for Indian deck and engine crews, port staff and ferry operators in southern Tamil Nadu.
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