PM Modi to inaugurate BGPL, to boost energy sector in Northeast

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 8, 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Barauni-Guwahati Natural Gas Pipeline (BGPL) of Gas Authority India Ltd (GAIL) virtually from Jorhat on Saturday.

Assam governor Gulab Chand Kataria, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal and Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Rameswar Teli and MP Queen Oja will also attend the programme.

“This is a milestone project connecting Guwahati’s Panikhaity with the National Gas Grid,” GAIL executive director (project management) AK Tripathi said while addressing a press conference at a city hotel here on Friday.

“This natural Gas Pipeline will prove to be a major asset for the development of Bihar, West Bengal and Northeast. It will provide a reliable source of clean energy, economic growth and the overall well-being of the people of the region,” Tripathi said.

The 718-km-long BGPL passes through Bihar, West Bengal and Assam and has been laid with an investment of Rs 3,992 crore by GAIL. It is an integral part of the Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dharma Natural Gas Pipeline Project. The pipeline passes through nine districts of Assam- Kokrajhar, Chirang, Barpeta, Baksa, Nalbari, Kamrup and Kamrup Metro.

“The project was to be completed in 2021. But due to strong resistance from West Bengal government in acquisition of land delayed the project,” Tripathi said.

The 24-inch diameter pipeline can transport around 2.5 MMSCMD of natural gas. The project will create vital infrastructure to supply natural gas which is environment-friendly and cost-effective to households, industries, commercial units and automobile sectors in the region leading to more investments and employment generation,” Tripathi also said.

“BGPL will supply natural gas to 9 Geographical Areas (GAs) covering 31 districts of Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, of City Gas Distribution (CGD) entities authorized by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board along the pipeline route. This will facilitate around 29 lakh domestic Piped natural gas (PNG) connections under these GAs in the coming days. In addition to this, more than 614 CNG stations will be established in these GAs,” he said.

“All mitigation measures were adopted to minimize the environmental impact of deteriorating water quality, loss of topsoil and vegetative cover along the route,” he further said.

“GAIL will link Panikhaiti with the National Gas Grid from where Indradhanush Gas Grid Limi­ted (IGGL) will connect the other northeastern cities, including Itanagar, Dimapur, Kohima, Imphal, Aizwal, Agartala, Shillong, Silchar, Gangtok and Numaligarh,” he further said.

“In Guwahati Purba Bharti Gas Pvt Ltd will provide PNG connections, while Adani Total Gas Ltd will provide CNG connections in in lower Assam districts,” he added.