Jaffna, Aug 30 (FN Bureau) Indian airline IndiGo will commence daily flight operations between Chennai and Sri Lanka’s Jaffna starting September 1, an official said here on Friday. Currently, India’s Alliance Air operates daily flights to Jaffna, media reports said.Initially, the flights started with a viability gap financing by the Indian External Affairs Ministry in its move to improve linkages between northern Sri Lanka and southern India, the Daily Mirror reported.
According to an informed source in Jaffna, such financing has been withdrawn after flight operations became commercially viable, even prompting IndiGo to venture into the business. There are now plans for the expansion of the Jaffna International Airport. Meanwhile, a passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in India and Kankesanthurai (KKS) near Jaffna also resumed operations recently, according to the Daily Mirror. The ferry named ‘Sivagangai’ , operated by IndSri Ferry Services, completed its maiden journey on the route in approximately four hours, carrying around 50 passengers recently.