Centre urged to expedite Sethusamudram project

A delegation from Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry met Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping P. Radhakrishnan in New Delhi recently and made a plea for expediting the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project through an alternative route.

The chamber members said the project which involved widening and deepening of the water canal linking Palk Strait with Gulf of Mannar would facilitate movement of mother vessels and avoid circumnavigation of ships around Sri Lanka, thereby resulting in abundant savings in fuel costs and standing charges associated with extra period of voyages.

The Sethusamudram project would help cut voyage by 424 nautical miles and reduce sailing period by 30 hours.