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Households in the city (Kolkata) will get piped cooking gas within the next three years, Dharmendra Pradhan, Union MoS (Independent Charge), Petroleum & Natural Gas said here today.
Apart from Kolkata, other Bengal towns that would benefit from the piped natural gas project include Durgapur, Haldia and a part of the city’s suburbs.
“Technically, we can put up the project in two years. But considering issues of right of way, we hope to complete the project in three years,” he told reporters during a press meet after the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) here in West Bengal.
The natural gas pipeline passing through the state will benefit not just fertiliser plants; but could also be used as CNG for automobiles.
Project Cost
According to the minister, the entire piped natural gas supply will be a part of the proposed Rs 12,000-crore Jagdishpur (in Uttar Pradesh) – Haldia (in West Bengal) pipeline.
The gas grid, having an approximate length of 2,500 km, was recently reconfigured by Gail India (the country’s largest natural gas transporter) to include Varanasi and Dhamra terminal.
Nearly 60 per cent of the cost or Rs 7,200 crore will be borne by GAIL, while the remaining 40 per cent will be borne by the Centre, Pradhan said.
The Jagdishpur to Haldia project has been a long pending one and was put on the backburner due to non-availability of gas and customers. The project was revived after the BJP government came to power in May 2014.
“The pipeline is required for revival of fertiliser units in Barauni in Bihar and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Other fertiliser plants in Bengal such as Matix will also benefit from the project,” the Minister said.
He added that the Jagdishpur-Haldia pipeline project would benefits the eastern states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and Bengal, apart from UP.
Supply to Bangladesh
According to Pradhan, attempts are also on to build an oil and gas pipeline with Bangladesh for boosting mutual cooperation in the energy sector. The pipeline is being proposed from Contai in West Bengal via Haldia to Duttapulia on the Indo-Bangla border.
“The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PGNRB) has started the process. We have discussed the matter with Bangladesh,” he said, adding that diesel is already being supplied to Bangladesh.
A pipeline from the Numaligarh refinery in Assam - which supplies diesel to Bangaldesh - has also been proposed.
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