KOCHI: One year after the roll out of the city gas distribution project at Ernakulam, the state now wants to extend the benefits of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) to more cities in Kerala. The state government has requested the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) to initiate bidding process for implementation of city gas project in Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod cities in the state.
South India’s first City Gas Distribution project was launched at Kalamasserry in Ernakulam in February 2016. The project was implemented by IndianOil in association with Adani Gas Private Limited.
Under the city gas project, PNG will be supplied for household, industrial and commercial purposes, while compressed natural gas (CNG) will be supplied for use in the transportation sector. PNGRB is the regulator which initiates the bidding process for the project.
In his letter to PNGRB on March 14, Kerala Additional Chief Secretary Paul Antony stated these cities are located on the pipeline route.
“The work on the Kochi-Koottanad-Mangalore-Bangalore pipeline (KKMBPL) is progressing rapidly. It is now expected to be completed by March 31, 2018. Rights to use 367 km of the total 437 km pipeline from Kochi to Mangalore has been acquired. Work has been awarded for a total of 190 km. In these circumstances, I request the board to initiate the bidding process for implementation of city gas project in Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod cities,” said Paul Antony.
Incidentally, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said in the Assembly protests against the GAIL gas pipeline project will not prevent the state from going ahead with its implementation as it was the need of the nation.
“The government in general and the Chief Minister in particular is keen to realise the city gas project in the state. The LNG pipeline extends from Kochi to Bengaluru and Mangaluru.
The people in Kerala will not get any benefit from this unless we implement the city gas project. The government wants to roll out the project in all districts in Kerala. Now these five cities are selected based on the proximity to the main pipeline,” said M P Sukumaran Nair, Chairman, Public Sector Restructuring and Internal Audit Board, Kerala.
GAIL chief manager and project coordinator of KKMBPL Tony Mathew said the pipeline project is progressing at a fast pace and the company is getting support from the state government as well. “We are hopeful of completing the project on time,” he said.