KL Report
Srinagar
At a time when J&K people are facing severe problems in securing LPG the state chief minister, Omar Abdullah Monday reviewed the status of progress on proposed Bhatinda-Jammu-Srinagar Gas Pipeline Project (BJSSPL) at a meeting of high level officers on Monday and emphasized on early start of work on the project.
Omar Abdullah has already approved the project during a meeting of State officers and the team of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) led by its Chairman, Lalit Mansingh at Srinagar. This was followed by various meetings of officers of PNGRB with the Chief Secretary and other senior officers of the State. The presentations about the pipeline were made by the Board pertaining to the implementation and impact of the project on State’s economy in these meetings.
The Chief Minister received appraisal of the roadmap prepared to start the work on the project and complete it by July 2014 to draw gas from Gujarat to Srinagar and Jammu.
The gas pipeline will consist of 328 kilometre long main gas trunk from Bhatinda to Srinagar passing through Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban, Islamabad, Pulwama and Srinagar. There will be hundreds of sub-lines which will supply gas to the consumers at their houses.
The Chief Minister has directed the PNGRB to start laying of pipeline from both Srinagar and Bhatinda simultaneously so that gas is supplied to both the cities of Jammu and Srinagar at the same time.
Omar Abdullah said that this project possesses greater importance to the State in providing adequate domestic and commercial supply of gas to the consumers on cheaper rates besides creating huge employment for youth of the State. He said that Gas Company has already been sensitized in this regard. He said the project would also help to utilize gas for generation of power in the State.
The Chief Minister directed the Revenue and Law Departments to finalize Draft Bill for Right of Use of land for laying of gas pipelines by the Gas Company in the State for legislature for enactment as per the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar Abdullah also stressed the need for fast tracking the project to ensure its time line completion in July 2014. He said Jammu and Kashmir being the remotest Northern State of India as such has so many disadvantages.
“Availability of gas in abundance has been a great challenge before us”, he said adding that supply of gas to the consumers in the State through gas pipeline will be a revolutionary step.
