GUWAHATI: 65,000 consumers of Guwahati city will get piped cooking gas from mid-February 2024 as Purba Bharati Gas Pvt Ltd (PBGPL) will commission their first phase of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) project from Geetanagar to Sixmile to supply piped gas to domestic, commercial and industrial sectors in the city.
PBGPL is a joint venture company of Assam Gas Company Limited, OIL India Limited, and GAIL Gas Limited. PBGPL is authorised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) to lay, build, operate and expand city gas distribution projects in geographical areas of Silchar, Hailakandi, Kamrup and Kamrup Metro.
“We are targeting to supply PNG to 3.21 lakh consumers in Guwahati in the next eight years. We are taking up a ₹2600 crore project for Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Silchar, Hailakandi and Karimganj for PNG supply,” PBGPL CEO Manoj Baruah said addressing a press conference today.
He also said that Guwahati will be linked with the national Gas Grid after the completion of the 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.
In phase I, Geeta Nagar, Narengi, Sixmile, Borbari, Panjabari, Satgaon, Hatigaon, Beltola, Jayanagar, Khanapara, Bonda and Hengerabari will be covered.
Under phase 2, 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 CEO said that the final phase of the project will be completed by 2025-26.
The PBGPL is also working in three cities of Barak Valley to supply piped natural gas.
“We will utilise natural gas from ONGC in Silchar. 800 consumers of Silchar City have been purchasing our gas. We will start a fresh supply of piped gas to 150 consumers from December 1, this year,” Baruah claimed.
“Five CNG stations are also coming up in Barak Valley, one of them will be commissioned very shortly,” Baruah further said.
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 inked pacts with 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.
“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 Adhyapak 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 a cumulative progress of 76.39%, closely aligned with the scheduled progress of 78.37%, with a target of laying a 1656 km North East Gas Grid (NEGG) pipeline at a total project cost of ₹9265 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 north-eastern region of India.
