OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW
1
 India has a peninsular coast of about 7,517km length stretches from
the state of Gujarat in West Coast to the state of West Bengal in East Coast
and it also includes Andaman and Nicobar islands. India has 12 major ports
which include Khandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Mormugao, New Mangalore,
Cochin in West Coast and Tuticorin, Chennai, Ennore, Visakhapatnam,
Paradeep and Kolkata and also about 183 non major ports. Coast of India
does not have a continuous navigation channel connecting the east and west
coasts.

Currently the ships coming from west coast and countries like
Pakistan, Dubai and other western countries with the destination in east
coast and also other countries like Bangladesh, China and also the ships of
Indian navy and Coast guards have to navigate around Srilankan Coast
resulting in increase of travel distance, time and also the cost. This is due to
the presence of shallow region known as Adam’s bridge, located southeast
of Rameshwaram which connects the Talimannar Coast of Srilanka.

A number of proposals were considered from 1860 to 2001 to cut a

ship canal called Sethusamudram Canal through the Rameshwaram
connecting the Gulf of Mannar with the Palk Bay. This project will develop
a continuous navigable route around the Indian coast within its territorial
region. The project will brief the efficiency, benefits, impacts and
drawbacks of Sethusamudram Canal and its usefulness to the hinterlands.

2
 PROPOSALS OF
SETHUSAMUDRAM CANAL
PROJECT

PROPOSALS OF SETHUSAMUDRAM CANAL

PROJECT
3
 Sethusamudram canal is a 150 year dream of Tamil peoples since
from the British colonial days. The Sethusamudram canal project has a
chequered history. The technical and environmental studies were done
before independence from the first proposal of Taylor in 1860 to Sir Robert
Bristow's proposal in 1922; nine proposals were considered for digging the
canal. After independence six committees recommended for the
Sethusamudram canal project from 1956 to 1998 which includes
Ramaswami Mudaliar Committee (1956), Nagendra Singh Committee
(1967), Venkateeswaran Committee (1966), Lakshminarayanan Committee
(1981), Pallavan Transport Consultancy Services Report (1996) and
National Environmental Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur (1998).

The committees analysed the cost and benefits of the project and they
pointed out the feasibility and viability of the canal. The government
verified and analysed the various proposals and reports of the project and
finally announced the inauguration of the project. The alignment of the
canal proposed by NEERI and Technical Feasibility Report (TFR) state that
the project is feasible technically and has the potential to operate without
any environmental hazard. These two reports are the one from which the
current SSCP proposal draws its legitimacy.

Suggested Alignments by various committees:

Year Report Name Suggested Alignment Route

4
1860 Townshend proposal Deepen Pampan pass
1862 Parliamentary committee Two miles east of Pamban across
proposal Rameshwaram Island
1863 William Dennison proposal One mile east of Parliamentary
proposal across Rameshwaram
Island
1871 Stoddart's Proposal Almost same place as Parliamentary
proposal across Rameshwaram
Island
1872 Robertson proposal One mile from Pamban

1884 John code proposal Across Rameshwaram Island

1903 Railway engineer proposal Across Rameshwaram Island

1922 Robert Bristo proposal Across Rameshwaram Island

1956 Ramaswami mudaliar Mainland at Mandapam island

committee
1967 Nagendra committee report Across Rameshwaram Island

1981 Lakshminarayan committee Across Dhanuskodi Island 1 Km

report west of Ramar Temple
1996 Pallavan transport Revalidated Lakshminaryan
consultancy repor committee report. New alignment
not suggested
1996 Tuticorin port trust report Across Pamban island East of Ramar
temple
1998 National Environmental Mid ocean passage across Adam’s
Research Institute (NEERI) bridge

Various Alignments of Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project:

5
 The entire coastal traffic from the east coast of thecountry to the west
and vice-versa has to go around Sri Lanka entailing an additionaldistance of
more than 254-424 nautical miles and 21-36 hours of sailing time.The Gulf
of Mannar, an inlet to the Indian Ocean between south-eastern India and
western Sri Lanka, is bounded on the north-east by the island of
Rameswaram, Adam's Bridge and Mannar. The Gulf is about 130-275 km
wide and 160 km in length. The Palk Bay on the north of Gulf of Mannar is
about 64-137 km wide and 137 km long and includes many islands of Sri
Lanka. Furthermore, Adam's Bridge located between India and Sri Lanka
separating Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. It is about 30 km long and the sea
across this portion is shallow with a depth of about 3-3.5 m only during
high tides.
6
 Various committees that have observed that a shorter route through
the Palk Bay is an important necessity to save time and foreign exchange
spent on import of fuel for Indian ships, also the country can stand to gain
revenue in foreign currency due to toll collections from International ships.

7
 THE DREAM PROJECT IN
REALITY

THE PROJECT

Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project envisages dredging of a ship

channel across the Palk straits between India and Sri Lanka. The project
will allow ships sailing between the east and west costs of India to have a

8
straight passage through India's territorial waters, instead of having to
circumvent Sri Lanka. This will lead to a saving of up to 424 nautical miles
(780 Km) and up to 30 hours in sailing time.
Two channels will be created by dredging for the total of 20 km:

 Adam’s Bridge part which is of 35km,

 The Bay of Bengal (BOB) part which is of length 54.2 km,
 Apart from these two legs it also will have one more leg in the
Palk Bay of length 78 km where dredging is not required (as this
area has a depth of 12 m).
The channel is originating from Tuticorin harbour; extend north-east
up to south of Pamban Island, cut through Adams Bridge and proceeds
parallel to medial line of fishing between Sri Lanka and India before
joining the Bay of Bengal channel. The width of channel will vary between
200 and 500 m and will require dredging to arrive at desired depth in the
Adams Bridge and Palk Bay area. The area engulfing the Adam’s Bridge
known as ‘Sethusamudram’ has been derived from the Kings of Jaffna who
were called as protectors of Adam's Bridge and the Southern sea that
surrounds the region.

The Alignment of the Proposed Channel:

9
 The proposed channel on commissioning is assumed to bring plenty
of prosperity and industrial growth in the Indian hinterland lying along the
proposed ship channel and it is argued that the very presence of the short
route would increase the turn-arounds of the coastal and international
vessels.

10
SALIENT FEATURES OF THE
CANAL

THE SALIENT FEATURES OF THE SSCP

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 Table 1 - Details of the project
Item Detail Remarks
Length 167 Km  
Width 300 M Two way channel
Depth of canal 12 M For ships drawing up to 9.5 M
-10 M.
Capacity of ships that 30,000 DWT Naval experts feel 23,000 DWT
can use the canal would be more realistic.
Estimated cost of Rs 2,233 crores Escalation of cost likely.
project
Nodal agency for Tutcorin Port Trust  
project
Project authority Sethusamudram Headquarters Chennai.
Corporation Ltd (SCL)
Authorised capital of Rs 80 crores 1. Debt: Equity –1:1.5
project
2. Participants: The Shipping
Corporation of India (SCI),
Tuticorin Port Trust (TPT),
Dredger Corporation of India
(DCI) etc.
Maintenance SCL Requires regular dredging to
keep it fit for traffic.

Advantages of the 1. It provides a direct 1. Avoids going round Sri Lanka

project route between the east as at present.
and west coasts of
2. Requires pilotage during
India.
sailing through canal. Thus
2. Reduces ships speed will be reduced increasing
sailing time by 24 to sailing time.

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 36 hours and the
3. Provides option of fishing
distance by 400
grounds in both Palk Bay and
nautical miles to
Gulf of Mannar to fishermen on
Tuticorin on the East
either side. Better marketing
Coast.
options for them.
3. Help economic
 4. These have not come up.
development of 3
However, fishing ports will help
coastal districts.
fishermen.
Provide employment
opportunities& help
allied industrial
development.

4. Help development
of 15 minor ports (13
in Tamil Nadu)
Ecological & Separate agencies to  
environmental watch monitor environment
and marine life.

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PROGRESS and design OF THE
PROJECT

PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT

For contractual purposes the entire dredging work of the canal has
been divided into four sections. Details of civil works of the project and
progress made so far are given in the following table:

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 Details of civil work of the project

A- Dredging of the canal

Detail Location Length Dredging Contractor
quantity
Section A Adam’s Bridge 11 Km 22.74mn CuM

Section B Adam’s Bridge 24.05 Km 25.31mn CuM

Section C Palk Strait 40.68 Km 20.95mn CuM

Section D Palk Strait 13.5 Km 13.55mn CuM* Dredging

Corpn India
Ltd (DCI)
Progress of Palk Strait - - DCI has
dredging (Section D) completed up
operations so to Feb 2, 2006,
far dredging of
2.47mn CuM
(24.14%) of the
section

THE PROCESS OF DESIGN FOR THE SSCP

PRELIMINARY DESIGN WIND, WAVE, TIDE
FOR THE CHANNEL, AND
STABILITY OF THE CURRENT
DREDGED SEDIMENT &
THE AUXILIARY
STRUCTURES

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 POSITION & WAVE
DIRECTION FORCE
LOAD CONDITIONS:
CRITICAL WAVE ANALYSIS
1. MAXIMUM OPERATION LOADS+ EXTREME
ENVIRONMENTAL LOADS
2. MINIMUM OPERATIONAL LOADS +
EXTREME
ENVIRONMENTAL LOADS ROUTINE
SEDIMENT LOAD
& MOVEMENT

EARTHQUAKE
SPECTRA, MODIFICATIONS
VOLCANISM,
TSUNAMI ROUTINE WIND SPEED
SEDIMENT LOAD EXCEEDENCE
& MOVEMENT DATA

PROBABILISTIC STABILITY ANALYSIS

DREDGED
SEDIMENT/D
UMP
LOAD &
MOVEMENT DREDGED WAVE HEIGHT
SEDIMENT/DUM SPECTRA,
P STORM SURGE,
LOAD & RAIN, FLOOD
MOVEMENT
MODIFICATIONS?

FINAL DESIGN
FOR THE CHANNEL,
DREDGE STABILITY &
AUXILLARY STRUCTURES

16
 ECONOMIC EXPECTATIONS

ECONOMIC EXPECTATIONS

The total estimated cost of the Sethusamudram canal project is Rs.

2,233 Crores. The cost includes:

S.No Description Works Amount(Rs. in Crores)

1 Preliminary Expenses 100

2 Administrative costs 5

3 Dredging 1719.6

17
 4 Navigational Aids 10.9

5 Supply of tugs and crafts 157.6

6 VTMS and equipments 65.9

7 Civil works 144

8 Consultancy and supervision 20

9 Contingency 100

The project will be a profit-earner and that it will have a cumulative

surplus of Rs. 3,138 crores, 25 years after it is opened to traffic. About
2,000 ships a year (six to nine a day) will use the canal and they will totally
save Rs.107 crores in fuel. The time saved will vary between 25 hours and
40 hours, depending on the source of the ship. The time saved will be 25
hours if the ships ply at 12 knots an hour and the average saving in distance
will be 300 nautical miles.
Based on Net Present Value (NPV) method, Internal Rate of Return
would be 10% to 17% on the project amount considering an interest rate of
9% per annum on the capital. The surplus will be generated after the 17
years of operation of the canal and it was estimated to be 1600 crores and
3000 crores in its 30th year of operation .They have given a mean value of
about 2,858 ships meant to use the canal in the first year of operation and
by the year 2025, they expect it to go to in excess of 5,883 ships.

COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS:

18
 The surveys and studies pointed out that the canal will handle the
traffic of 5000 ships in the year 2025. The draught of ship should be 12m.
So it is clear that the mother vessels could not able to navigate through the
canal. For example consider 1,000 ships using the Sethusamudram canal in
first year of operation, Rs 204 crore is taken as an annual repayment, per
ship cost works out to Rs 19 lakhs pilotage charge to obtain a breakeven
point.

The ships consume 1 metric tonne of fuel per hour, which costs Rs
24,000. For the Sethusamudram canal, you have to add the pilotage cost
too. In effect, if a ship goes through the canal, a shipping company loses Rs
19 lakh per voyage. It is more cost effective to circumnavigate Sri Lanka
from the point of view of the shipping industry. So, there is absolutely no
advantage to the ships and the shipping industry.

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 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
OF SSCP

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF SSCP

IMPACTS OF DREDGING-ECOLOGICAL IMBALANCE:

The dredging is estimated to be 2 million cubic metres in the first year
reducing to 1.4 million in 5 years and remaining will be constant thereafter.
About 8 million cubic metres is proposed to be used for degraded areas in
pamban island, it is proposed to be dumped offshore in Bay of Bengal at
about 25 to 30m depth. The dredged material from Adam’s bridge area is
proposed to be dumped offshore into the sea in the Gulf of mannar at
location which is assessed to be 25-30km away from Adam’s bridge.

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 The SCL Claims that the locations of dredged materials had been
identified after scientific modelling and studies in such a way that turbidity
generated by dumping is confined to sea bed levels and dumped material
will not enter into the channel area.
But Environmentalists fear that there are two ways in which the
plying of ships could endanger the ecology. Dredged spoil dumped in the
vicinity of the islands could cause mass turbidity and suspended
sedimentation. The canal would cause a change in the magnitude and
direction of currents in the Gulf of Mannar because it will be 300 metres
wide, and the changed currents will flow towards the 21 islands.

The Gulf of mannar and Palk bay provides shelter to numerous flora
and fauna some of them very rare to find, which is undisturbed by ship
traffic due to its shallow water. The region provides livelihood to the lakhs
of fisherman families in 140 coastal villages in Ramanathapuram and
Tuticorin districts of Tamil Nadu. The coral reefs are the seat of biological
diversity. Sea grass meadows and seaweeds form an ecosystem which
supports a variety of commercially important fish. These fauna and flora
helps in controlling the coastal erosion.

The Environmental Impacts Assessment has failed to assess the

impacts of dredging in the marine species. Any damage to the lower trophic
level would reflect into higher trophic including fish. Higher silt load in
seawater prevents penetration of sunlight in water body and ultimately
affect primary productivity. Dredging causes disturbance to benthic

21
organisms and fish due suspended sediments, which causes disruption of
migration of fish.

The conditions created during the dredging operations will potentially

cause:

 Smothering of benthic animals and plants due to resettlement of

suspended sediments
 Disturbance of marine animals from the potential variations in the
concentration dissolved oxygen
 The Whole life cycle of the marine animals gets effected directly or
indirectly
 Reduction of biologic species like coral reefs and mangroves.
 Translocation of species and removal of habitat.

METEROLOGICAL ISSUES:

Sethusamudram Canal and Navigation channels of ports of the east coast

have been facing three major and persistent problems. They are:
 Problems due to sedimentation,
 Problems due to tropical cyclonic disturbances,
 Issues related to dumping of the dredged material. Sethusamudram

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 The meteorologist elaborated that the Coastal regions of Kerala and
some of the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu like Rameshwaram, Tuticorin
were not affected by Tsunami because of the Adam’s bridge and dredging
the bridge and disposal of dredged material may results in the harmful
effects.
Indian Meteorological Department considers the coastal stretch between
Nagapattinam and Pamban as a high risk zones to the tropical cyclones.
This may results in the damage of canal and also risk to the ships to pass
through at the time of cyclones.
RELIGIOUS ISSUES:
The Sethusamudram Canal project is also facing the religious issues.
The political parties and other groups are arguing that the Adam’s bridge
was built by Lord Rama and they were protested against the project. The
Government of India and other institutes clearly pointed out that the bridge
was not a man made bridge, but the issue becomes an important political
issue nowadays.

SECURITY ISSUES:
Now the ships of Indian Navy and coastal guards are navigating around
the Sri Lanka to move from west coast to east coast or vice versa. The
project holds good for the security purposes. The coastal security of Tamil
Nadu gets enhanced and the Navy ships can able to navigate in the Indian
territory water itself. The opening of canal may leads to the security threats

23
because of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as like the Somalian
pirates.
TECHNICAL ISSUES:
The SSCP requires the advanced cranes and other materials to dredge
the bridge. Also it requires barge and other materials to handle the dredged
material. The advanced disposal system should be employed. There is a
need for skilled labours for the successful completion of the project.

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 SSCP-A COMPARISON WITH
SUEZ CANAL AND PANAMA
CANAL

SSCP-A COMPARISON WITH SUEZ CANAL AND

PANAMA CANAL

The Sethusamudram canal is the first offshore project in the world

where the Suez canal and Panama canal were the onshore projects. The
Suez canal and panama canal are manmade canals which reduces the
navigation distance and time. The features of the canals are:

Canal Sethu Canal Suez Canal Panama Canal

25
Length 89km 192km 80km
Location Bay of Connects Connects atlantic
Bengal Medittaranea ocean and pacific
n Sea and Red ocean
Sea

Country/Continen India Links Asia Links South

t and Europe America and North
America
Toll collected by Project in Egypt Panama
progress by
India
Draught 10.4m 16.1m 15m
Speed limit 11-16km/hr 8km/hr 15km/hr
Average transit 4hours 14hours 8 to 10hours
time
Locks No No 3locks
Length of the 215m 68m above 427m
vessel water level
Opened to traffic Process in 1869 1914
on progress

26
 BENEFITS AND ITS
USEFULNESS TO THE
HINDERLANDS

BENEFITS AND ITS USEFULNESS TO THE

HINTERLANDS

The benefits of the Sethusamudram Canal are:

 There is a continuous navigation between the west coast and east

coast within the Indian territory,
 The navigation time and the distance gets reduced,
 Ships turnaround time increases the revenue,

27
  Lead to substantial savings with reduction in maritime transportation
cost,
 The coastal security gets enhanced in the coastal districts of Tamil
Nadu,
 Coal from North India to Tamil Nadu Electricity board takes sea
route,
 Salt, Fish, Caustic soda now using rail which incures high cost can
take sea route,
 Domestic consumers will be benefited wit cheaper goods with the
reduced import costs,
 Coastal movement of domestic goods,
 Direct and indirect employment opportunities,
 Leads to the infra structure development.

Usefulness to the Hinterland:

 The project leads to the development of 15 new non major ports at

Cuddalore, Puducherry, Karaikal, Rameshwaram.
 The backward districts of Tamil Nadu Thirunelveli, Tuticorin,
Ramanathapuram will gets economically developed,

28
  Rich resources of fish and shrimps in the area can be exported to
Japan and USA through Rameshwaram port which will gets
strengthened once the canal comes into existence.
 Chances for new industries in the regions of Rameshwaram,
Thirunelveli, Cuddalore,etc.,

Developments in Tuticorin port:

 Emerge as a hub port for container traffic
 Enhance its share in coastal cargo traffic
 Augment its revenue by renderin service to the ships transiting
through the channel

THE SSCP-TODAY!

The Sethusamudram Corporation Limited has stopped dredging works

in the Adam’s bridge because of the order of Supreme Court of India. The
political parties and other organisation protested against the project and

29
they were arguing that the Adam’s bridge was built by Lord Rama. They
filed case against the project. The Supreme Court had ordered the Indian
Government to find the alternative route for the canal. The Supreme Court
had suggested that an alternative alignment between Dhanushkodi and
Lands End in Rameshwaram Island be examined for creating the channel.

The Government of India constituted an expert committee under the

chairmanship of R K Pachauri in July 2008 to examine the feasibility of the
alternative alignment keeping in view the technical aspects, cost benefit
analysis, socio-cultural and environmental impact and law and order
matters.

Earlier, the project was to be developed at an estimated cost of Rs

2,400 crore. But now the Ministry of Shipping is revising the cost
estimates, part of which would be requested for immediately to clear dues
pending to the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI). The new estimates,
which would soon be sent for approval to the Public Investment Board,
were likely to be revised further, depending on the alignment suggested for
dredging the channel in the Pachauri Committee report. The ambitious
project was planned to be funded on a debt-equity ratio of 1:1.5.

30
 CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

The Sethusamudram Canal is said to be the economic prosperity

of the country. It is perceived that the development of the canal would
results in the prosperity of the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu. The
project enhances the coastal security of India. But the Sethusamudram

31
 Shipping Canal Projects paid the way for issues like environmental
issues, ecological imbalance, Religious issues, security threats, and
imbalanced economy of scale. The major drawback is that the draught
resistance in the canal is 10.4m.

The reports of National Environmental Engineering Research

Institute (NEERI) and Environmental Impacts Assessment reports were
failed to analyse the ecological imbalance, cyclonic disturbances and
also there was no clear study and survey about the location for disposing
the dredged material. The reports failed to examine the precise
Environmental Plan.

There is a need for the concise study and survey about the
project’s location and its need. The dredging methods and disposal of the
dredged materials should be clearly stated. The other factors like
cyclonic disturbances, marine species, turbidity, sedimentation etc.,
should be clearly analysed. The project should be economically sound
and viable. If it is not feasible, the same amount should be invested in
the other onshore projects which could give faster return on capital and
development.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

WEBSITE LINKS:

http://Sethusamudram/sethu%20m3.htmfile

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sethusamudram_Shipping_Canal_Project

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http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpapers18%5Cpaper1713.html

http://www.suezcanal.gov.eg/sc.aspx?show=2

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/index.html

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/nic/113/index.htm

http://www.indiandefencereview.com/2009/02/the-sethusamudram-ship-canal-
project.html

http://www.nilacharal.com/news/rajan/raj176.html?
domains=nilacharal.com&q=economic+impacts+of+sethusamudram+canal&sa=Searc
h&sitesearch=YOUR+DOMAIN+NAME&client=pub-
8260041701340977&forid=1&channel=6429766983

BOOKS & REPORTS:

“The geography of Transport Systems” by Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Claude Comtois and

Brain Slack.

“Souvenir” The Sethusamudram Shipping canal Project by Tuticorin Port trust.

“Environmental Impact Assessment for Proposed Sethusamudram Ship Channel

Project” by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur.

“Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project and the unconsidered high risk factors: Can
it withstand them?” by Dr.R.Ramesh M.B.,B.S., Doctors for Safer
Environment,Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

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