The government has got the ball rolling to establish infrastructure for supplying natural gas through pipelines for domestic use in Ernakulam.
The gas distribution network, popularly known as City Gas, will provide natural gas to households through pipes.
Ernakulam is among 14 districts in the country where natural gas supply is likely to be established. Other districts are Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nalgonda and Khammam in Andhra Pradesh, Bangalore in Karnataka, Pune, Thane and Raigad in Maharashtra, Shajahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Guna in Madhya Pradesh, Panipat in Haryana, Amritsar in Punjab, and Union Territories of Daman, Dadar & Nagar Haveli.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board, which grants permission for laying pipelines and operating local natural gas distribution networks under the City Gas project, has commenced sale of bid document. The sale will be on till February 4 next year. The bids will close on February 11.
The board had kicked off the process for supplying natural gas in Ernakulam two years ago, but it had to be shelved as some of the companies engaged in distribution of gas in certain North Indian cities had challenged the PNGRB procedures in court. The new effort comes after overcoming the hurdles.
Liquefied Natural Gas is ready for industrial supply in Kochi and other areas by Petronet LNG Limited and GAIL India Limited. Piped domestic gas supply will push back the frontiers of distribution. Several entities, including a joint venture by KSIDC, is keen on setting up facilities for supplying piped natural gas to households.
Now, LNG is being supplied to FACT and BPCL Kochi . More industrial users are expected to shift to natural gas as fuel.
