GAIL Completes Kochi-Mangalore Natural Gas Pipeline Construction

The 444-km long natural gas pipeline project was launched in 2009 with an estimated cost of Rs 29.15 billion is now finally completed by the GAIL, Gas Authority India Limited a largest state owned natural gas company. This project is a major boost for the national gas economy.

However this project stretched around 5-6 years, and the costing for this also doubled to Rs 57.50 billion. While talking about the project than the pipeline is charged up to Kannur now, and is live up to Kuttanand in Palakkad district, 90 km north of Kochi since June 2019 and of the remaining 354 km the line is ready up to Kannur. Kuttanad will be the main junction of the project as from here the line bifurcates to Managalore and Bengaluru.

"We have completed the most difficult stretch across the Chandragiri river in Kasargod district in northern Kerala, on Saturday. Now the testing is on and this will be completed in the next two days. Within this week itself gas will reach Mangalore through the 444-km pipeline," P Murugesan, the executive director and head of Southern region, Gail, told on Monday.

Most importantly this project is very important for the state government. While supplying gas to Kochi alone earns the state government more than Rs 3.40 billion annually in form of taxes. The same is expected to go up as high as Rs 10 billion annually after commissioning of the new line.