New Delhi: India’s Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has held discussions with the visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today on an ambitious $ 5.19 billion road project linking the two countries.

Gadkari, who called on the visiting Prime Minister on Tuesday, has discussed construction of a sea bridge and an underwater tunnel linking the 22-km stretch between Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka and Dhanushkodi in India, PTI reported citing official sources.

Dhanushkodi, situated south-east of Pamban town, is only about 29 kilometres away from Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka, the town closest to the Indian land border.

To improve connectivity with the neighboring nations, India has signed motor vehicle pacts with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal and is also proposing to improve connectivity with Sri Lanka.

“Multilateral funding agency ADB, which has already agreed to finance infrastructure projects worth about $ 8 billion for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) region, has also shown keen interest in financing $ 5.19 billion India-Sri Lanka proposed project,” a source said.

According to sources, it has also been proposed during the meeting that a Secretary-level meeting along with the representatives of Asian Development Bank (ADB) can be held in Sri Lanka to discuss the project.

India also wants Sri Lanka to join the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement, which aims to facilitate cross-border movement of all types of vehicles in the BBIN region.

Gadkari had earlier said that a proposal for providing road and rail link bridging the divide across Palk Strait has already been submitted to the ADB, for a pre-feasibility study and subsequent financing, and the ADB is ready to finance the project.

He had said there was a missing link of narrow corridor of about 22 km in connectivity to Sri Lanka from Rameshwaram which is presently being serviced through makeshift ferry service arrangements.

“We are working on the project and as soon as it is completed, Trans Asia Road and transport network could be extended to Sri Lanka,” Gadkari had said.