New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the 450-km Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline and said the project will have a positive impact on the economic growth in Kerala and Karnataka.
While inaugurating the pipeline via video conferencing, PM Modi said, “It is an honour to dedicate the 450-km pipeline to the nation. This is an important day for India, especially for the people of Kerala and Karnataka. These two states are being connected by a natural gas pipeline which will facilitate the ease of living for lakhs of people in both the states and also give a boost to the tourism sector.”
“Natural gas pipeline network will be doubled in 5-6 years and CNG stations will be raised to 10,000 from current 1,500,” the prime minister said while launching the project.
“While on one hand, natural gas pipeline network is being doubled to about 32,000 km in 5-6 years, on the other, work on the world’s biggest hybrid renewable plant combining wind and solar power has started in Gujarat,” said Modi.
The prime minister also said that the emphasis is being laid on manufacturing biofuels as well as electric mobility. “In 10 years’ time, petrol will be doped with as much as 20 per cent of ethanol extracted from sugarcane and other agro products. This would help cut reliance on imports for meeting oil needs as well as reduce carbon emissions.”
“Alongside, the share of natural gas in the energy basket is being targeted to be raised to 15 per cent from the current 6.2 per cent. The pipeline grid will help improve clean energy access as well as also aid in the development of city gas projects,” he added.
Governors and Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Kerala, along with Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas were also present during the event.
The pipeline has a transportation capacity of 12 million metric standard cubic metres per day and will carry natural gas from the liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal in Kochi to Mangaluru, passing through Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts, the PMO noted.
The total cost of the project was about Rs 3,000 crore and its construction created over 12 lakh man-days of employment and has been built by Gail (India) Ltd, PMO added.
The pipeline will supply environment-friendly and affordable fuel in the form of piped natural gas (PNG) to households and compressed natural gas (CNG) to the transportation sector.
It will also supply natural gas to commercial and industrial units across the districts along the pipeline, the statement said, adding that the consumption of cleaner fuel will help in improving air quality by curbing air pollution.
-CHK
