NAGAPATTINAM: The international passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka is set for a revamp, featuring new tour packages and complimentary meals. Ticket prices too will be reduced and the ferry will operate six days a week under the new management.
The ferry service was launched on October 14, 2023, after a four-decade hiatus. It was suspended soon after but resumed on August 16, 2024, with IndSri Ferry Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Subham Group of Companies, operating the vessel, Sivagangai.
The service was operational until November 5 when it was suspended due to monsoon. The service is now expected to restart by late December or early January, with the management shifting directly to Subham Group under the name, ‘Subham Ferry’.
Ticket bookings will also move to a new domain - www.sailsubham.com. “We are increasing operations from five days a week to six days a week, excluding Wednesdays. To attract more passengers, the fare for a round trip is being reduced from Rs 9,700 to Rs 8,500,” Subham Group chairperson Sundararaj Ponnusamy told TNIE.
The free luggage allowance has been reduced from 50 kg to 10 kg per passenger, with an option to carry additional luggage up to 60 kg for a fee. Complimentary meals are being introduced — breakfast for passengers departing Nagapattinam and lunch for those leaving Kankesanthurai.
Additionally, the ferry will soon feature a duty-free shop, with items available for pre-booking online, Ponnusamy said. To boost tourism, the company plans to offer travel packages ranging from two to five days to destinations, including Jaffna, Talaimannar, Nainativu, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Anuradhapuram, and Nuwara Eliya. It is also planning an additional ferry on the Nagapattinam-Kankesanthurai route within three months.