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| Tuesday, 28 October 2003 |
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Wider choice for travellers The recent visit to India by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was mutually beneficial to both countries. The highlight was the announcement on the early finalisation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the defence cooperation agreement. But the most significant breakthrough was the immediate opening of Indian and Sri Lankan skies to airlines of both countries. Accordingly, SriLankan will be able to fly to 18 Indian cities and India's private airlines will be able to operate to Colombo with immediate effect. Right now, SriLankan flies 44 times a week to India and Indian Airlines, 11 times a week. The proposed private air service is a fillip for trade and tourism between the two neighbours, both prominent members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). This decision has been hailed by private Indian airlines as a step in the right direction as only Air India and Indian Airlines have been allowed to operate international routes so far. Indian private airlines, with young fleets and superior service, have already earned an enviable reputation that the two State-owned giants could only dream about. India's fastest growing domestic operator - Sahara Airlines - plans to fly to Colombo from next month. It will operate 14 flights a week from India's commercial and religious centres. The new air links will provide an opportunity for more Indians to discover their southern neighbour and for more Sri Lankans to visit India without any hassle - over 65,000 Indians and 30,000 Sri Lankans flew between the two countries from January to September. The new services will substantially increase the number of seats to and from India. India's other private airlines - Jet Airways and Air Deccan - are expected to follow suit, which means that even remote destinations in India will only be a couple of flights away from Colombo. We hope that it will only be a matter of time before the Indian airlines fly into other destinations in Sri Lanka such as Jaffna, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, which will make it easier for travellers in these areas to visit India. Indians and tourists from other countries too will then be able to visit Sri Lanka's North-East without going through Colombo. Sri Lankan private airlines too are keen to fly to India and other South Asian countries. Aviation authorities must clear any hurdles that block their way and allow them to operate international services without delay. Intense competition among the two countries' public and private airlines will result in frequent services and cheaper fares in the long run. Transport authorities in the two countries must also cut through the red tape and other factors delaying the proposed passenger ferry service between Colombo and India. The service will be a boon for less affluent travellers who cannot afford to buy air tickets (a ferry ticket will cost much less) and for tourists who wish to travel between India and Sri Lanka in an unhurried style. A road/rail bridge linking Talaimannar and Rameswaram is also on the drawing board and preliminary discussions have taken place. Such a bridge will cost billions of dollars to build, but the resulting integration of the Indo-Lanka road network will accelerate the growth of two-way trade and tourism. Eventually, it will be the cheapest way to cross over to either country, even if the obligatory road toll is counted in. All SAARC countries must work collectively to expand transport facilities in the region. Sri Lanka, which aims to turn Colombo into the region's air-sea transport hub, should spearhead these efforts for the benefit of all South Asians. |
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