MANGALURU: Travel by searoute from the mainland to Lakshadweep is now five hours closer. A high-speed vessel ‘Parali’ on May 3 ferried 160 passengers on an experimental basis from Lakshadweep to the Mangaluru old port in just seven hours, compared to the earlier 13 hours.
The new vessel not only has high speed but also has smoother sailing compared to earlier vessels, which were retrofitted from cargo carriers to accommodate passengers.
The Lakshadweep Islands Tourism Development Authority (LITDA), operating under the Central Tourism Ministry, announced its plans to start the Mangalore-Lakshadweep tourist liner service after a series of trial runs. The authority, committed to eco-tourism, aims to balance tourism promotion with environmental conservation, according to officials.
“But we do not know how rough the sea will be once the monsoon starts. The LITDA has already ramped up the facilities at the receiving point in Kadmatt, which is the nearest port of arrival from the mainland,” the officials said.
“This is the first step, and things will be easier for people from Lakshadweep to arrive in Mangaluru. Moreover, enhanced connectivity will facilitate various forms of tourism, including eco-tourism in the Western Ghats, educational tourism to learn about Lakshadweep’s culture and ecology, and health and recreation tourism to enjoy its beaches and water sports,” they said.
This initiative marks a significant step towards improving connectivity between the mainland (at Kochi and Mangaluru) and Lakshadweep after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the islands. This enhanced connectivity will also strengthen the ties between Lakshadweep and the mainland.
Historically, Karnataka, part of the mainland, and Lakshadweep share a common history dating back to 1783 since it was Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan who safeguarded the islands from mainland marauders. But after 1799, the people of Lakshadweep lost their freedom again as the British conquered their island after Tippu Sultan died in Srirangapatnam near Mysuru.
The first passenger vessel, ‘M V Aminidevi’, sailed for Kadmatt Island in the Lakshadweep Islands in 2010 with 150 tourists. It marked a turning point in Karnataka’s tourism landscape, offering a more direct route to Lakshadweep from remote regions. As modern tourism facilities are already available on selected islands, including Kadmatt, tourists can now indulge in water sports and culinary delights, among others.
As the sea route gains popularity, tourists from Bengaluru, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Goa will use Mangaluru as a port of departure for Lakshadweep, which will help Karnataka revitalize an ancient maritime route and open new avenues for coastal tourism.
Until recently, traveling between Lakshadweep and the mainland, especially Kerala, meant long and tiring journeys by sea.
Lakshadweep, which means ‘a hundred thousand islands’ in Malayalam and Sanskrit, is an archipelago consisting of 36 islands spread over an area of 32 sq km and surrounded by a 4,200 sq km lagoon. Situated off the Kerala coast in the Arabian Sea, it’s renowned for its idyllic beaches, verdant landscapes, and diverse marine life. It’s the smallest Union Territory in India.
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