The Jagdishpur-Haldia pipeline has been heralded as part of the Government of India’s vision to double the country’s natural gas pipeline network – to over 30,000 km – in the next five years.
The pipeline will provide natural gas supplies for the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal in eastern India. The construction office will serve as a centre to facilitate GAIL India‘s construction activities for the pipeline.
The first phase of construction is underway, which involves laying approximately 750 km of pipeline at an estimated cost of approximately $US622 million. The capacity of phase 1 of the pipeline is 261 MMcf/d; the entire pipeline will have a capacity of 565 MMcf/d.
While supplying gas to anchor load customers like Gorakhpur & Barauni fertilizer plants and Bihar’s Barauni Refinery, the first phase of the pipeline will also cater to domestic needs through the Center for Global Development’s projects in cities including Varanasi and Patna.
413 km of pipeline will be laid in the state of Bihar, covering nine districts (Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Gaya, Nalanda, Patna, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, and Begusarai) in the first phase, and an additional 200 km of pipeline covering four additional districts (Chappra, Siwan, Gopalganj, and West Champaran) will be laid in subsequent phases.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said “The Jagdishpur-Haldia pipeline is a crucial infrastructure project that can make available clean and green fuel to propel the development of the states across eastern India. The construction office which we have inaugurated today gives me an immense sense of confidence that finally we are off the blocks on the much awaited project.”