Dharmendra Pradhan laid the foundation stones for new Dhamra – Angul 36 inch main line

Bhubaneswar/Sukinda-17^th December 2017: Marking another significant development in the spread of the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga in Odisha, Hon’ble Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan laid the foundation stones for new Dhamra – Angul 36 inch main line and Bhubaneshwar – Cuttack – Paradip 12 inch spur line at Haripur, Sukinda in Jajpur district today. On this occasion, Shri Pradhan told that, this 600 km. long natural gas pipeline project is a new year gift for the people of coastal districts of Odisha from the Modi led Government.

The Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan told that, foundation stone for the LNG Terminal at Dhamra with the investment of Rs. 6000 crore has already been laid recently. Gas will be imported from countries like Australia, Katar in cape size vessels and supplied to Allahabad of Uttarpradesh through 2500 km long pipeline. Out of that 600 km. long natural gas pipeline will be constructed in Odisha covering 13 districts, i.e., Bhadrak, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Debagarh, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Khordha, Puri and Kendrapara & will connect major industrial clusters of Khurdha, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Angul, Dhenkanal, Kalinganagar, Jajpur and Paradip.

This longest pipeline project is a major step towards the fulfillment of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s dream of developing a gas-based economy and linking Eastern India to the country’s Natural Gas Grid and will pave the way for development of high quality manufacturing in Odisha. This will add more values to the minerals of the mineral rich state like Odisha. As of now, steel produced in Odisha was limited to construction of houses and angle making. But now the steel and aluminium which will be produced in Odisha using gas will be of high quality and lead to manufacturing of automobiles and Odisha can be a centre of high quality steel production. Shri Pradhan also opined that, since a long time Tata has been able to utilize natural resources of Odisha. Now the company should come forward to manufacture heavy vehicles like trucks in Odisha using this natural gas.

Among others, Mr. Pritiranjan Ghadai, MLA, Sukinda, Gail India Ltd.’s Dr. Ashutosh Karnatak, Director (Projects), Mr. PK Gupta, Director (HR), Mr. KB Singh, ED, Mr. M V Iyer, ED, Mr. Satpal Garg, Member, PNGRB, Mr. S. Rath, Member, PNGRB were present at this occasion.

It may be noted here that, as part of this pipeline project the Hon’ble minister also inaugurated supply of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and CNG-run scooters in Bhubaneswar on 16^th December 2017.

The Hon’ble Minister inaugurated CNG stations in Chandrasekharpur and Patia in Bhubaneswar on 16^th December 2017. Two more stations are being constructed in Khandagiri and Tamando. Over the coming years, 25 CNG stations will be commissioned in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to supply CNG to vehicles.

Initially, natural gas will reach Bhubaneswar in special containers called “cascades” which will be transported by road from Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh. Later, Natural Gas will be supplied through the 2655 km long Jagdishpur – Haldia & Bokaro – Dhamra Natural Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL), popularly known as the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga. GAIL is implementing the