The High Commissioner of India, Mr. Ashok K. Kantha and the Sri Lankan Secretary of the Ministry of Ports and Highways, Mrs. Sujatha Cooray, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Sri Lanka on Passenger Transportation by Sea , signaling the revival of traditional linkages between the two countries. The MOU was signed in the presence of H.E. Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka, at a ceremony at Temple Trees. The MoU envisages putting in place ferry services between Colombo and Tuticorin and Talaimannar and Rameswaram. A press statement by the Indian High Commission in Colombo said that both countries are taking immediate steps to start a passenger ferry service between Colombo and Tuticorin where the necessary infrastructure is already in place. A Joint Committee Meeting is to be held on 10-11 January, 2011 in Colombo, during which officials from India and Sri Lanka will discuss the modalities to start the service. The Shipping Corporation of India has already received Expression of Interest from potential ferry service operators in India and is examining them in order to finalise the grant of a concession to operate ferry services between Tuticorin and Colombo, which could commence shortly. Services between Talaimannar and Rameshwaram will commence once the requisite infrastructure is put in place on both sides. An Indian company, IRCON, has already commenced survey work for this purpose to restore the damaged pier in Talaimannar.