Get piped natural gas soon in Chandigarh, Pradhan fixes deadline of Oct 11

The much awaited project of providing natural gas through pipelines in Chandigarh will soon be a

reality, as Petroleum Minister Dharmender Pradhan on Sunday fixed a deadline of October 11 to

complete all the work of laying pipelines.

At a meeting with UT Adviser Parimal Rai, city BJP chief Sanjay Tandon and officials of the Indian Oil

Corporation and Adani Gas, Pradhan stated that the project should be completed immediately.

According to the proposal, gas pipelines will be laid underground all over the city, leading to houses

just like water pipes. Meters will be installed to measure the usage. Around 50,000 connections will

be provided in the first phase.

Regarding the hurdles that the authorities are facing while laying pipelines in certain areas falling

under the control of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the minister said that he

would take up the matter with the ministry concerned to expedite all the permissions.

“It was also discussed that all the NOCs should be got expedited so that the project may be

inaugurated on Dussehra,” said Sachin Sharma, senior divisional retail sales manager for Indian Oil

Corporation (Chandigarh division). It was discussed at the meeting that the work had been stalled for

the last seven months due to NOCs pending from various departments.

NHAI has not accorded permission to lay the pipeline for a stretch of 1.5 km while the forest land on

a stretch of 2.5 km has not been transferred to NHAI.

In the first phase, piped natural gas will be supplied in five sectors — sectors 7, 8, 49, 50, 53 — and

EWS (economically weaker sections) flats at Dhanas. As of now, permission has been received only

for EWS flats at Dhanas. These flats have been picked as Chandigarh has been declared kerosene-

free city and all kerosene oil depots located in various areas of the city have been closed down by

the administration.

“We are facing problems due to jurisdiction issues. Some area falls under Municipal Corporation

while the other under the Chandigarh Housing Board. Due to this, only the main line could be laid

and not the sub-lines,” said an official requesting anonymity.

IOC-Adani won the exclusive contract for supplying piped natural gas in the city and nearby areas for

a period of five years. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has allowed the

firm to fix the final selling price of the piped natural gas to be supplied to consumers.

NGS INDIA