TAPI Pipeline Project Inaugurated

The much delayed TAPI gas pipeline project was formally inaugurated on Sunday.

The ground breaking ceremony, which was held in Mary in the southeastern part of Turkmenistan, was attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani along with Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Vice President Muhammad Hamid Ansari.

Gurbanguly said the project is expected to be ready by 2019.

Nearly 200 kilometers of the pipeline will pass through the territory of Turkmenistan, 735 kilometers through Afghanistan, 800 kilometers through Pakistan and will reach Fazilka in India.

The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) is a great example of regional cooperation, Ansari told the media Saturday.

The pipeline will export up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India over 30 years.