PM Modi Kicks Off Work on Major East India Pipe

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi December 24 laid the foundation stone of the Bokaro – Angul section of the Jagdishpur – Haldia & Bokaro – Dhamra pipeline (JHBDPL), Gail, which is building the pipeline, said the same day.

The Bokaro – Angul section will have a total length of 667 km, of which 367 km will be in eastern state Odisha and 300 km in another eastern state of Jharkhand. It will cover five districts in Odisha (Angul, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Debagarh) and six districts in Jharkhand (Bokaro, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Simdega). The pipeline will supply natural gas to households, vehicles and industries in the two states.

The project cost of this section will be approximately rupees 34bn ($490mn) and is scheduled to be completed by December 2020, Gail said. The section is part of the 2,650 km-long JHBDPL project, also known as  Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga passing through the eastern Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal & Odisha. The pipeline is further being extended from Baruani (Bihar) to Guwahati (Assam) with a length of approximately 730 km which will be a gateway for pipeline infrastructure in the north-eastern region of India.

Indian downstream regulator Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has already awarded the geographical areas for development of city gas distribution networks in these 11 districts to different entities and the Bokaro – Angul section will be cater for the supply of natural gas to these areas, Gail added.

Gail has already placed order for line pipes for the section and delivery has commenced at the site. Work will be executed in five sections and five contractors have been engaged for the purpose, it said.