India: DMK Union Ministers Urge Implementation of Setusamudram Canal Project

March 29, 2012

DMK Union ministers are urging the implementation of the Setusamudram canal project which will widen the narrow Palk Strait that divides India and Sri Lanka, reports zeenews.com.

The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were contacted on Thursday and urged to speed up the proceedings.

The Setusamudram project has an aim to boost the southern peninsular Indian region economics. The project involves numerous dredging operations of the channel across the Palk Strait to let ships sailing between the east and west coasts of India, instead of sailing around Sri Lanka.

Up to 30 hours of sailing time and about 780 km could be saved this way.

Major works have already been done, with only 22 km remaining to be dredged. The project will further the development of the southern peninsular region.

The only problem still waiting for a solution is the possibility of endangering Ram Setu (also known as Adam’s Bridge) during the execution of the Setusamudram project. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wrote to the Prime Minister Singh to declare Ram Setu a national monument.

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Dredging Today Staff, March 29, 2012;