Alignment 5 went too close to the eastern tip of Dhanushkodi (Land’s End) near Rameshwaram and was difficult for navigation.

So that left Alignment 6, which has the “least adverse impact” and would have to cut through Adam’s Bridge. What’s worrying the project managers is that any new study of an alternative alignment is bound to delay the project further by at least a year. “Besides studies on floor, wave and sedimentation modeling, the geological profile of the sub-soil, environment impact assessment and navigation simulation studies would also have to be carried out. All this would take a minimum of one year,” the officer pointed out.

The deadline for completing the Rs 2,427-crore project is November 30, 2008. Five dredgers are currently operating in the sea off Rameshwaram in the Palk Bay and Palk Strait and north of Adam’s Bridge. Dredging to the south of Adam’s Bridge was stopped in April-end due to monsoon activity and the difficulty in using a ‘cutter section’ dredger during this time.

Nearly 35% of the dredging has been completed for creating the 167-km-long channel, 300 metres wide and 12 metres deep, expected to reduce the steaming distances between the East and West Coast of India, and improve navigation.

The ‘Ram Sethu’ controversy and consequent delay in the project implementation is bound to worry the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu as the canal is to be projected as one of its major achievements during the next Lok Sabha elections.