The 450km long Kochi-Mangaluru GAIL pipeline was inaugurated by Prime minister Narendra Modi on January 5 via video conferencing.
Gouri J S
credits: GAIL (India) Limited
The 450km long Kochi-Mangaluru GAIL pipeline was inaugurated by Prime minister Narendra Modi on January 5 via video conferencing.
Built by the GAIL (India) Ltd, the project aims to provide uninterrupted supply of cheaper environmental friendly Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to households and commercial units and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to the transportation sector thereby uplifting the gas economy.
The pipeline can transport about 12 million metric standard cubic metres of natural gas per day from LNG Regasification Terminal at Kochi to Mangaluru. The cost of the project is around ₹3,000Crores and provides a chance for gas based industries to emerge, creating direct and indirect job opportunities. It created more than 12 lakh man days of work during construction.
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The pipeline project runs through Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragode districts and ends at Mangaluru in Dakshina district, Kannada. The construction was a great engineering challenge because it confronted tough terrains at places and the pipeline was to be laid in an urbanized and densely populated state like Kerala.
The project was proposed in 2009 and was expected to complete in 2014 but was delayed due to public safety concerns and increased land prices. First phase was commissioned in 2013 in Kochi and Indian Oil-Adani Gas Ltd started their supplies in 2016.
In the state where majority depends on fossil fuels; commissioning of the project is expected to increase the demand for natural gas.
The virtual inaugural event was attended by the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Karnataka and Cabinet Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan.