Earlier GAIL won license of Bathinda-Jammu Tawi gas project
Bivek Mathur
JAMMU, July 20: After awarding the 175-kilometer Bathinda-Jammu Tawi Gas Pipeline Project to Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has initiated the process to develop a gas pipeline from Jammu to Srinagar.
To begin with, the Board has started the process of public consultation by inviting views and comments from the public, stakeholders, and entities regarding the route, indicative map, terminating point, and minimum capacity for the proposed Jammu-Srinagar gas pipeline project.
A public notice issued in this context on the PNGRB’s website stated, “PNGRB aims to develop a natural gas pipeline from Jammu to Srinagar to meet the natural gas requirements in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, it has been decided to initiate a suo-motu proposal for the development of a natural gas pipeline from Jammu to Srinagar under Regulation 4(2) and Regulation 6 of PNGRB NGPL Authorization Regulations.”
“The Board announces the commencement of the public consultation process as per Regulation 5(1) of PNGRB NGPL Authorization Regulations,” the notice further explained.
Through the notice issued on PNGRB’s website on July 3, 2023, written views and comments from individuals, stakeholders, and entities have been invited within 30 days of the publication of the notice.
In the notice, the PNGRB has clarified that the proposed pipeline would originate from the Gurdaspur-Jammu Natural Gas Pipeline, which is currently undergoing the bidding process, and would serve as its source.
As per the notice, the stakeholders and entities have been invited to provide suggestions regarding the terminating point, route, indicative map, and minimum capacity for the proposed Jammu-Srinagar Natural Gas Pipeline.
According to the PNGRB, the views and comments received from various stakeholders and entities will be hosted on the PNGRB website for public information. Furthermore, an open house discussion will be held on September 9, 2023, with stakeholders and entities who have offered their views and comments.
Earlier in June this year, GAIL, the country’s largest gas distributor, had secured the license to construct a gas pipeline from Gurdaspur in Punjab to Jammu, beating Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), by offering the lowest tariff for gas transportation.
Pertinently, after completing the public consultation process in November 2022, the PNGRB had invited bids in January for the Gurdaspur-Jammu pipeline, and both GAIL and IOC submitted their bids by the May 17 deadline. After evaluating the technical qualifications and opening the financial bids on June 21, GAIL emerged as the successful bidder for the project.
The pipeline, spanning 175 kilometers, will transport environmentally friendly fuel to Jammu and will initially have a capacity to carry at least 2 million standard cubic meters per day.
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