GAIL commissions 165 km Gorakhpur national gas pipeline project

GAIL India said on Wednesday it has successfully commissioned the 165-km Gorakhpur spur line section under Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga (PMUG) natural gas pipeline project, bringing Gorakhpur into the ranks of locations in India covered by natural gas infrastructure.

This marks the completion of the entire 750 km long trunk pipeline section one of PMUG constituting 30 per cent of the initially sanctioned project route. "GAIL's infrastructure at Gorakhpur is in readiness to commence gas supplies to the upcoming fertiliser plant and the city gas project," it said in a statement.

The revised project contours span over 3,400 km to serve eastern and northeast states. The 730 km Barauni to Guwahati section is further planned to feed the upcoming northeastern gas grid Indradhanush.

The PMUG project is projected to boost clean energy led development and growth across industries -- fertiliser, power, refineries and steel, and also fuel cleaner CNG based transportation as well as provide convenient access to PNG for households and commercial establishments.

"The sequential commissioning of the PMUG project amid ground level challenges is very encouraging," said Chairman and Managing Director B C Tripathi.

"GAIL is fulfilling its commitment of commissioning the acclaimed national project within scheduled timeframe. All pipeline procurement and laying contracts aggregating over Rs 12,500 crore have been awarded, thereby contributing significantly to the government's Make in India initiative."

In the southern region also, said Tripathi, in spite of adverse challenges on multiple fronts, GAIL is scheduled to commission the 450 km Kochi-Koottanad-Mangalore pipeline by September. Last month, section one of the pipeline spanning 20 per cent of the entire project route length was commissioned.