Regulatory body initiates bidding process for gas pipeline to Kashmir

SRINAGAR — In a significant move, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has commenced a bidding process for laying a 325-kilometre-long Jammu-Srinagar gas pipeline.

Documents accessed by the news agency KNO reveal that the Board has invited bids for grant of authorization for laying, building, operating or expanding Jammu-Srinagar natural gas pipeline with an initial system capacity of at least 2.0 MMSCMD including common carrier capacity. The bids were invited on January 12, 2023, the documents show.

In a move aimed at catering to the natural gas requirements in J&K, the PNGRB had last year initiated a suo-motu proposal for the development of the Jammu-Srinagar natural gas pipeline. After completion of the public consultation process and based on discussions with the entities and stakeholders during the open house discussions, PNGRB had decided to invite online application-cum-bid for authorization to develop a Jammu-Srinagar natural gas pipeline spanning about 325 kilometres with a minimum system capacity of at least 2.0 MMSCMD including common carrier capacity during the entire economic life.

The proposed gas pipeline shall originate from the termination point of GAIL (India) Limited’s Gurdaspur-Jammu Natural Gas Pipeline. “GAIL’s pipeline shall also act as a source for the proposed Jammu-Srinagar Natural Gas Pipeline,” the documents state.

According to documents, the spur lines shall be provided by the authorized entity as per the customer’s requirement to route the pipeline in line with the provisions of the relevant regulations.

Pertinently, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2022-23, had announced a new gas pipeline project for development of Jammu and Kashmir.