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| - Claims of India-Sri Lanka Road and Rail Project Under Scrutiny
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A recent article published in Mint, India, states that India and Sri Lanka are in the final stages of discussions to establish a road and rail link between the two countries, with India bearing the project's cost. The proposed project would connect Rameswaram in India with Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, providing strategic and economic benefits to both nations. This would require a road-rail network to be built through the Palk Strait, which has been a point of discussion at various points in the past and has caused a lot of attention in Sri Lankan media as well.
Key Claims from the Mint Article:
Project Scope and Costs: The article states that discussions are in the final stages for a road and rail link between Rameswaram, India, and Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. The Indian government is expected to bear the estimated cost of $5 billion.
Chandrakeerthi's Role: Chandrakeerthi is quoted as the primary source of the information, citing his participation in a meeting in New Delhi.
Environmental Clearance and Construction Plans: The article mentions that the project would require environmental approvals and that bridges and underwater tunnels may be involved to ensure uninterrupted ship movement.
Main Stream & Social Media in Sri Lanka
Based on the Mint article, local media in Sri Lanka, like Ada Derana, reported the news on their websites and social media handles. Ada Derana's report can be found here: Archived.
The news was also widely shared among social media users, questioning the NPP government's new appointments.
Explanation
Rejection by Chandrakeerthi: Speaking to Factcrescendo, Prabath Chandrakeerthi, the secretary of the Ministry of Environment stated that the information reported in the Mint article is misleading. He clarified that the conversation with the Mint journalist Puja Das was casual, and he was not told it was on record. He reiterated that the discussion was informal and that off-the-record remarks were made in a social gathering setting, not an official confirmation of project plans. Meanwhile, the French embassy in Colombo apologised to Chandrakeerthi, stating that the Indian journalist who came here for a climate-related workshop did not align with the rules of the workshop and did media coverage.
Response from Sri Lankan & Indian Authorities: In response to our queries, the media secretary for the Sri Lankan Transport Ministry has also denied any knowledge of the said project's discussions. This raises further questions about the validity of the claims made in the original article, which no Sri Lankan or Indian officials have corroborated.
We have contacted the Indian Embassy in Colombo for clarifications regarding possible discussions of the said project and hope to update the article with their response.
Journalist's Version: Puja Das, the journalist from Mint, confirmed that the conversation occurred at a dinner reception at the French Embassy in Colombo. She states that Chandrakeerthi was her direct source of information and that she possessed both a recording and a transcript of the conversation.
However, she admitted there was no cross-verification with other officials from Sri Lanka or India and no details mentioning the $5 billion estimate. As said in the original article, Sri Lankan or Indian officials have yet to respond.
Lack of Mainstream Coverage Prior to Mint Article: Before Mint published this story, no other mainstream media outlets in India or Sri Lanka had reported on this $5 billion infrastructure project. However, following the Mint report, several media outlets republished or extracted parts of the report without independently verifying the information.
Given the absence of cross-verification, this claim remains unconfirmed and should be treated with caution until further evidence or official confirmation is provided.
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