If you love the travel that gives you the sight of the mighty sea, involves the adventure water sports and serenity of nature then we have good news for you! The Maldives, home to the best beaches in the world will soon be tied with India in its own beautiful way. The much-awaited passenger-cum-cargo ferry service that our Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi agreed to develop with the Maldives, might soon be a reality and ready for public use.
As of now, Maldives can be reached through Air or Cruise which costs little on the higher side. With the Maldives getting connected to India through regular waterways, accessing and planning holidays there would become quite easy and cheap.
Earlier this year, heads of both countries agreed to develop a passenger-cum-cargo ferry service between Kerala’s Kochi to Maldivian capital Male. The new intercountry service will involve an approximate 700 km long voyage in the open sea via Kulhudhuffushi atoll which, in turn, will strengthen the relationship between the countries.
In the bilateral move, country heads signed an MoU for setting up a frequent passenger-cum-cargo service as a step towards the development of tourism for both Kerala and Maldives.
The ferry service will be one of its kind and will cover a total distance of 700 km between Kochi and Male. The distance between Kochi and Kulhudhuffushi atoll is approximately 500 km which includes open sea and fun along waves. The distance from Kulhudhuffushi atoll to Male is another 200 km which will flaunt numerous beautiful Maldivian islands.
Reports by The Hindu says, that the diplomatic heads of both the countries have already directed their officials to rapidly progress and work towards connecting the two countries with regular ferry service. The ferry service will include transportation of both cargo and passengers.
In another report by The Hindu, the proposal for ferry service was first proposed in 2011 following the SAARC Summit which was followed by a meeting between the Indian shipping officials and officials from the Maldives. The meeting also mentioned the structural planning of the modern ferry, like the service, is expected to incorporate 300 people, 15-20 cargo containers and 500 tonnes of bulk cargo with the transit time of approximately one day.
The Maldives is well-known for its serene beaches, beautiful sunsets and adventurous water-sports whereas Kerala is famous for its diversity in flora and fauna. Many think that the initiative taken by the Indian government with the officials of Maldives will turn out to be a fortunate one.
Tourists and Travel enthusiasts see the new ferry service a game changer step that will not only just boost the inter-country tourism but will also be available to tourists at much cheaper rates.