Guwahati: 65,000 residents of Guwahati city will get piped cooking gas at their doorstep at a more reasonable price from mid-February 2024 as Purba Bharati Gas Pvt Ltd (PBGPL) will commission their first phase of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) project from Geeta Nagar to Six Mile to supply piped gas to domestic, commercial and industrial sectors in the city.
PBGPL, a joint venture company of Assam Gas Company Limited, OIL India Limited, and GAIL Gas Limited, PGPL is authorised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) to lay, build, operate and expand city gas distribution project in geographical areas of Silchar, Hailakandi, Kamrup and Kamrup Metropolitan cities.
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“We are targeting to supply PNG to 3.21 lakh consumers in Guwahati in the next eight years. We are taking up an Rs. 2,600 crore project for Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Silchar, Hailakandi and Karimganj for PNG supply,” PBGPL CEP Maanoj Baruah said addressing a press conference here on Friday.
“Guwahati will be linked with the national Gas Grid after the completion of Barauni-Guwahati Pipeline in February, next year. We can start commission of the first phase of the project after completion of this line in mid-February,” Baruah said.
Under phase I, Geeta Nagar, Narengi, Six Mile, Borbari, Panjabari, Satgaon, Hatigaon, Beltola, Jayanagar, Khanapara, Bonda and Hengerabari will be covered.
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Under the second phase, Ganeshguri, Kahilipara, Christianbasti, Ulubari, Bhangagarh, Bamunimaidam, Noonmati and Uzan Bazaar will be covered.
Under the final and third phases, Boko, Mirza, Azara, Ranagia, Sonapur, Rampur and Chhaygaon will be projected.
“The final phase of the project will be completed in 2025-26,” the CEO said.
The PBGPL is also working in three cities of Barak Valley to supply piped natural gas to the city’s consumers.
“We will utilise natural gas from ONGC in Silchar. Around 800 consumers of Silchar city have been purchasing our gas. We will start fresh supply of piped gas to 150 consumers from December 1, this year,” Baruah also said.
“Five CNG stations are also coming up in Barak Valley, one of them will commission very shortly,” Baruah further said.
Notably, the works of the Baihata-Shillong-Silchar pipeline
The company, having a 48 per cent share of Assam government will also provide CNG (Compressed Natural Gas), a clean fuel for 100 city buses under Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) in the city.
The PBGPL on Friday signed seven commercial and industrial consumers of the city, including Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA), DS Pal, Greenhood Hotel, Hotel Lily, Radisson Blu Hotel, Hotel Vivanta and Purabi Dairy for the supply of PNG under the first phase.
The Central government’s Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for the Northeast has opened up several vistas of economic development through natural gas. Assam has so many reserves of natural gas that it can fuel its economy based on this clean and green fuel.
“We have maintained best safety norms in the installation of infrastructure for the supply of gas to consumers to avoid disaster,” PBGPL chief operational officer Partha Pratim Adhyapaaak said.
At the same time, Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL) Indradhanush Gas Grid Ltd is laying a 1656 km long natural gas pipeline connecting the capital cities and the demand centres of all eight northeastern states.
The IGGL has achieved cumulative progress of 76.39 per cent, closely aligned with the scheduled progress of 78.37 per cent, with a target of laying a 1656 km North East Gas Grid (NEGG) pipeline at a total project cost of Rs. 9,265 crore.
IGGL, a joint venture of five major petroleum PSUs viz. IOCL, ONGCL, GAIL, OIL& NRL, are implementing the North East Gas Grid Project (NEGG) for ushering in a gas-based economy in the northeastern region of India.
The project is being implemented under the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Gas Pipeline Project.
To date, IGGL has completed a lowering of 694 km, out of a total 1656 km length of the network.