Sri Lankan envoy bats for land connectivity

Land connectivity is essential for the growth of ties between India and its neighbouring island, said the Sri Lankan envoy here, pitching for connectivity projects resembling the “Channel tunnel” from the U.K. to Europe as a possible future initiative if environmental concerns are cleared.

Land connectivity is essential for the growth of ties between India and its neighbouring island, said the Sri Lankan envoy here, pitching for connectivity projects resembling the “Channel tunnel” from the U.K. to Europe as a possible future initiative if environmental concerns are cleared.

Speaking about Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to India in July, where the two countries unveiled an “Economic Partnership Vision” statement that includes maritime, air, energy, trade and people-to-people connectivity, High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda said Sri Lanka’s hopes of benefiting from India’s economic growth and coming out of its current economic crisis hinged on being able to build causeways, bridges, pipelines, electricity transmission lines and landing infrastructure so as to increase travel to and from India. 

“Building any causeway or highway across the streets will require environmental impact assessments, and there is a process for that”, Mr. Moragoda told The Hindu in an interview. “If Sri Lanka is looking at this idea of piggybacking on India’s growth story we have to have [land] connectivity,” he added. 

When asked why concerns expressed by India over implementation of the 13th amendment for devolution of power to Tamil majority areas was not, however, included in the joint statements made during the visit, the Sri Lankan envoy said President Wickremesinghe had discussed his latest proposals with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Prime Minister [Mr. Modi] expressed his views and President [Mr. Wickremesinghe] expressed Sri Lanka’s position. So that conversation will continue,” said Mr. Moragoda, pointing out that eventually the resolution of the Tamils’ issue would have to be found “within Sri Lanka”.

The vision statement released after President Wickremesinghe met Mr. Modi in Delhi on July 21 refers to plans for a feasibility study on land connectivity “at an early date”.