GAIL, the country's near monopoly gas transportation company on Thursday said it hopes to complete the Kochi-Mangalore pipeline, by the end of the current fiscal year, while announcing a contract for its Barauni-Guwahati pipeline project.
GAIL said, "in spite of recent impact to ongoing project work due to calamitous floods, construction of a natural gas pipeline in Kerala and Karnataka states are fast-tracked for completion by the end of the current fiscal year as more than 85 per cent physical progress has been achieved under the Kochi to Mangalore pipeline project".
The Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru pipeline currently under execution is around 879 km long, with a project cost of Rs 2915 crore. The project originally planned to cover 1,114 km and completed by 2012-13 has been long delayed due to protests and litigation.
One of its major pipeline projects under construction as part of the government plan to connect east and northeast India to the gas grid, the 3,400 km Jagadishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra project has achieved 92 per cent physical progress under phase-I and expects to be completed within two months, GAIL said.
The phase involving Barauni-Guwahati spur line is expected to be completed by 2021. GAIL announced a project award of Rs 1,100 crore for Barauni-Guwahati pipeline putting on fast track the project envisaged under the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga pipeline network.
BC Tripathi, Chairman & Managing Director, GAIL said "The award of the tenders supports 'Make in India' efforts of steel pipe manufacturers and suppliers in the country and marks the completion of mainline ordering for the entire 729 km section," BC Tripathi, Chairman, GAIL said.