The dredging of the Kankasanthurai (KKS) Harbor has been completed, India's High Commission in Colombo said in a release.

The outgoing Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha participated in a brief ceremony Monday (06) at the KKS Harbor to mark the completion of the dredging operation.

The Indian High Commissioner formally handed over the "Joint Post Dredging Survey" chart to the Managing Director of Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA), Captain Nihal Keppetipola.

With the completion of dredging operation, four phases of the project to rehabilitate the KKS Harbor through a US$ 25 million grant from India had been completed satisfactorily.

Sri Lanka and India entered in to an agreement to develop the harbor in July 2011.

The dredging operation, which is the fourth phase of work, has been undertaken under a fully funded grant from the Government of India to the tune of US$ 2.055 million.

The High Commissioner expects the rehabilitation of the Harbor would go a long way in development of economic infrastructure in the Northern Province, support domestic as well as regional commerce and connectivity as well as pave the way for exploitation of KKS Harbor as a commercial port.

The port rehabilitation project is fully funded by a grant from the Government of India. It is anticipated that the project will result in increased trade in the Jaffna peninsula and restoration of economic activity in the Northern Province.