Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to virtually inaugurate the Kochi-Mangaluru GAIL natural gas pipeline on January 5 at 11 am, which was recently completed after facing multiple hurdles.
The 450-km long natural gas pipeline has already started supplying natural gas to Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers (MCF), and will soon supply to OMPL and MRPL, GAIL (India) Chairman Manoj Jain told the press.
The pipeline passes through Ernakulum, Trissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod before reaching Mangaluru. This marks an important step in encouraging people to use natural gas, which is environment-friendly.
The LNG terminal of Petronet was commissioned in Kochi a few years ago but had low-capacity utilisation due to lack of connectivity. With the completion of the pipeline, Jain believes connectivity will improve.
This pipeline will help gas distribution through Kerala and Karnataka and will be provided to households at a cheaper rate, Jain said, adding that the pipeline will supply fuel to vehicles through CNG.
Work has already started on connecting the pipeline to the city gas distribution network in 28 districts in Karnataka, Jain informed. The government will also construct CNG stations on several locations in Karnataka within a year. Construction of pipelines for household connections is underway in Mangaluru and the gas will flow to a few colonies in the city within a year, he said.
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor of Kerala Arif Mohammad Khan and Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala will be present at the occasion.
GAIL (India) was given the pipeline project in 2009 at an estimated cost of Rs 2,915 crore. Work was delayed due to land acquisition issues and finally commissioned in 2014. The delay led to an escalation of the project's cost to Rs 5,750 crore.