The laying of the regular gas pipeline from Mehsana-Bhatinda in Punjab to Srinagar via Jammu has been in the making for a long time. The project was floated in 2013 but never take off in the real sense.
The pipeline was to be laid through the districts of Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban, Anantnag and Srinagar. The original completion date for laying the 725 kilometre long pipeline was 6 July 2014.
The Governor of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir had even issued an Ordinance in June 2013 in order to facilitate the acquisition of land for the project. The acquisition process was even started in Kathua and Samba districts. However, it never reached the logical conclusion even for a nearly decade amid fanfare announcement.
Coming at an estimated Rs 5,000 crore project, the Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) had authorized GSPL India Gasnet Limited (GIGL) to complete the project. At one point in time, the PNGRB had informed that about 102 km long pipeline section from Jalandhar-Amritsar in Punjab as a part of the project has been commissioned.
On 7 July 2011, PNGRB had authorized GSPL, a subsidiary of the Gujarat Government to lay the pipeline to ensure gas supply for industrial, commercial and domestic use in J&K.
The gas pipeline would have pushed uninterrupted supply of gas to the consumers in landlocked J&K, especially the Valley. The Jammu-Srinagar highway closures are such that the government orders rationing of the fuel including LPG gas cylinders. Here administration is forced to direct distributing agencies not to supply the LPG gas cylinder for 21 days, notwithstanding the importance, not just for cooking but also for heating to ward off against the severe winter vagaries with the mercury plunging to minus 8 degrees Celsius after thirty years. Also, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court is seized of the matter and time and again passed directions, seeking the reasons behind inordinate delay in completion of the project. On 5 January 2016, the court had directed for status of the project.
Last week, the hopes rejuvenated when Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the revival of the pending gas pipeline project. It is hoped that the project will be completed without delay, at least not years together. The project will surely help end dependence on the troubling Jammu-Srinagar highway as far as the LPG supplies are concerned and also help boost Industries in the J&K.
The pipeline was to be laid through the districts of Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban, Anantnag and Srinagar. The original completion date for laying the 725 kilometre long pipeline was 6 July 2014.
The Governor of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir had even issued an Ordinance in June 2013 in order to facilitate the acquisition of land for the project. The acquisition process was even started in Kathua and Samba districts. However, it never reached the logical conclusion even for a nearly decade amid fanfare announcement.
Coming at an estimated Rs 5,000 crore project, the Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) had authorized GSPL India Gasnet Limited (GIGL) to complete the project. At one point in time, the PNGRB had informed that about 102 km long pipeline section from Jalandhar-Amritsar in Punjab as a part of the project has been commissioned.
On 7 July 2011, PNGRB had authorized GSPL, a subsidiary of the Gujarat Government to lay the pipeline to ensure gas supply for industrial, commercial and domestic use in J&K.
The gas pipeline would have pushed uninterrupted supply of gas to the consumers in landlocked J&K, especially the Valley. The Jammu-Srinagar highway closures are such that the government orders rationing of the fuel including LPG gas cylinders. Here administration is forced to direct distributing agencies not to supply the LPG gas cylinder for 21 days, notwithstanding the importance, not just for cooking but also for heating to ward off against the severe winter vagaries with the mercury plunging to minus 8 degrees Celsius after thirty years. Also, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court is seized of the matter and time and again passed directions, seeking the reasons behind inordinate delay in completion of the project. On 5 January 2016, the court had directed for status of the project.
Last week, the hopes rejuvenated when Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the revival of the pending gas pipeline project. It is hoped that the project will be completed without delay, at least not years together. The project will surely help end dependence on the troubling Jammu-Srinagar highway as far as the LPG supplies are concerned and also help boost Industries in the J&K.