STRAIT FORWARD
A 150-year-old dream acquires shape

The channel across the Palk Straits between India and Sri Lanka is expected to be operational by 2008: it will allow ships sailing between the east and west coasts of India a straight passage through India's territorial waters, instead of circumnavigating Sri Lanka. India doesn't have a continuous navigable route here due to the presence of a shallow ridge (1.5 metre to 3.5 metre deep) called