Union Minister of Shipping G. K. Vasan on Monday launched the passenger ferry service between Tuticorin and Colombo from the V.O. Chidambaranar Port here.
With the revival of the service, the dream of freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaram Pillai has come true, Mr. Vasan said. Chidambaram launched the maiden service in June 1907 but it was stopped abruptly by the British.
Terming it a golden day in the history of Indian maritime sector, he said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi were instrumental in launching the service.
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He called upon people to utilise the service since the fare was less than that of flight to Sri Lanka from India. The Ministry of Shipping was taking steps to operate a similar service from Rameswaram to Talaimannar.
The United Progressive Alliance government was making efforts to rehabilitate Tamils in Sri Lanka and bestow equal rights upon them to ensure that they lived with dignity, Mr. Vasan later told reporters. A. Subbiah, Chairman of the Port, said that 201 passengers took the inaugural service. Of them, 80 were goodwill ambassadors. The ship can accommodate 1040 passengers.