October 12, Colombo (LNW): A newly published report has warned that critical infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province—specifically the development of Kankesanthurai (KKS) Port and the expansion of Jaffna Airport—must be insulated from political shifts if the country is to ensure a balanced post-crisis economic recovery.
The report, carried by the Jaffna Post, highlights that while recent Cabinet changes could accelerate long-delayed projects, any disruption in policy continuity may risk derailing progress. In the latest reshuffle, Bimal Rathnayake has taken over as Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, and Anura Karunathilaka has been appointed Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation—portfolios directly linked to the northern projects.
With feasibility studies backed by a US$61 million Indian grant, KKS Port and Jaffna Airport are expected to play a transformative role in integrating the Northern Province—one of Sri Lanka’s most economically isolated regions—into national and regional trade networks.
The report projects that KKS Port, once operational, could handle monthly cargo volumes between 2,000 and 5,000 tonnes. It also notes that current ferry services between Nagapattinam and KKS already see between 1,200 and 2,000 passengers per month, a figure that could rise significantly with the resumption of daily services.
Strategically located near the Palk Strait, KKS Port could serve as a vital export gateway for northern industries such as fisheries, agriculture, dairy, and traditional Palmyra-based enterprises, enabling local producers to access Indian and broader South Asian markets more efficiently.
Meanwhile, the proposed expansion of Jaffna Airport holds similar promise. It could reduce travel time between Colombo and Jaffna from nearly ten hours by road to just one hour by air. More critically, an upgraded airport would function as a regional aviation hub, capable of attracting international airlines and supporting both inbound tourism and outbound trade, especially in time-sensitive goods like seafood and fresh produce.
The report underscores that the combined potential of KKS Port and Jaffna Airport could establish a northern economic corridor that complements Colombo’s commercial dominance rather than competes with it. This, it argues, would promote more inclusive national development and bridge the long-standing gap between the centre and the periphery.
However, it warns that for this vision to materialise, political will must be matched by consistency in implementation. Frequent changes in leadership, shifting bureaucratic priorities, or delays in budget allocations could undercut momentum at a critical juncture.
The Jaffna Post report concludes that Sri Lanka’s broader recovery from its economic crisis will be measured not just by macro-level indicators, but by how evenly growth and opportunity are distributed. In that regard, northern infrastructure development should be viewed not as a regional project, but as a national priority.
