Sethusamudram Canal History & Facts
- Environmental implications of the Sethusamudram project
- Inconsistencies in the NEERI Environmental Impact Assessment
- Legal and planning issues
- Manitham Report on humanitarian issues of SSCP
- Palk Bay Issues and Security Concerns
- Sri Lankan Campaign against Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project
- Strategic security and Sethusamudram project
- Historical Timeline
- Will ships use the canal at such costs?
Historical Timeline
Treta Yuga (Hindu timelini)
|
Lord Rama constructs a bridge between India and Sri Lanka
|
1900s (exact year?)
|
British rename the Ramasethu bridge as 'Adam's Bridge'
|
1860 - 1922
|
As many as nine proposals were made for cutting a Ship
Channel across the narrow strip of land to connect the Gulf of Mannar
and the Palk Bay with the object of providing a short-cut for ocean-going
ships plying between the West Coast of India and the East Coast
|
1956
|
Sethusamudram Project Committee formed to contemplate
a 26 feet canal dig at the mainland at Rameshwaram at a cost of Rs 210
million
|
1967
|
Nagendra Singh Committee Report recommends a 30 feet canal
at an alternate site near the Rameshwaram Island Crossing at a cost of
Rs 370 million
|
1981
|
Laksminarayana Committee Report recommends construction
of two channels called the south and north channels and also construction
of a lock in the land portion connecting both the channels across the
'K' alignment near Dhanushkodi at a cost of Rs 2820 million
|
1996
|
Pallavan Transport Consultance Service Report recommends
a number of infrastrucral facilities to be constructed in addition to
the canal. These included locks, flotilla, harbour tugs, navigational
aids, jetties, shore facilities, dispatch vessels, slipways and buildings
|
1997
|
Ministry of Surface Transport appoints Tuticorin Port
Trust as Nodal Agency
|
1997
|
Ministry of Surface Transport appoints the National Environmental
Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to draft an Initial Environmental
Examination (IEE) Report. The study recommended a canal cutting the Pamban
Island, east of Kothandaramasamy temple, which it claimed will cause least
damage to the biota and the environment
|
2004
|
Tuticorin Port Trust engages M/s. L & T-Ramboll Consulting
Engineers, Chennai for preparation of a Detailed Project Report. The report
claimed to establish the financial viability of the Project.
|
2005
|
Formal inauguration of the Sethusamudram project
|
2006
|
Commencement of dredging work at Ramasethu and Palk Strait
|
2006
|
Hindu leaders in India meet President of India to lodge
protest against destruction of Ramasethu
|
February 2007
|
Shankaracharya of Puri and other Hindu leaders meet in
the holy town of Vrindavana to launch a national campaign
|
March 2007
|
Hindu organizations from ten countries around the world
launch the 'Save Ramasethu Campaign' (Ramasethu Bachao Andolan)
|
Sethusamudram Project Timeline
No.
|
Milestones
|
Target Date
|
1
|
Registration of Sethusamudram Corporation Ltd.
|
*06.12.2004
|
2
|
Submission of DPR to the Ministry
|
*01.03.2005
|
3
|
Appraisal by F.I. arranger
|
31/05/2005
|
4
|
Financial closure
|
30/06/2005
|
5
|
Launching of Sethusamudram Corporation Limited Web Site
|
30/06/2005
|
6
|
Inauguration of Sethusamudram Project
|
02/07/2005
|
7
|
Approval of the competent authority
|
0 week
|
8
|
Pre-qualification and tender process (for dredging)
|
12 weeks
|
9
|
Award of work
|
16 weeks
|
10
|
Mobilisation of Dredging equipment and pre-dredge survey
|
24 weeks
|
11
|
Commencement of dredging at Adams bridge area and Palk
strait area
|
24 weeks
|
12
|
Preparation of designs, drawings and tender documents
for onshore facilities
|
26 weeks
|
13
|
Preparation of tender documents for procurement of Navigational
aids, Port crafts
|
38 weeks
|
14
|
Call of tenders, pre-qualification process for procurement
of Navigational aids and Port crafts & on shore facilities
|
50 weeks
|
15
|
Award of work for on shore facilities
|
56 weeks
|
16
|
Placing of supply orders for procurement of Navigational
aids and Port crafts
|
62 weeks
|
17
|
Completion of procurement of Navigational aids and Port
crafts
|
148 weeks
|
18
|
Completion of Service Jetties and Navigational towers
|
160 weeks
|
19
|
Completion of dredging work
|
166 weeks
|
20
|
Post dredging survey
|
168 weeks
|
21
|
Installation of VTMS
|
168 weeks
|
22
|
Commencement of Trials/ Tests
|
172 weeks
|
23
|
Commencement of Channel Operation
|
180 weeks
|