Prime Minister to lay foundation stone for Krishnagiri-Coimbatore section of GAIL project today

GAIL-Southern Region, Executive Director, S. Mowar addressing a press meet in Salem

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the 294-km-long Krishnagiri-Coimbatore section of the Kochi- Kuttanad- Bengaluru- Mangaluru Pipeline (KKBMPL) project at Tiruchi on Tuesday, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) Executive Director (operation and maintenance) for southern region S. Mowar has said.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Mr. Mowar said that the Central government envisions raising the share of natural gas in the primary energy mix from the current 6.7% to 15% in the coming years. GAIL is overseeing the implementation of the natural gas pipeline project from Krishnagiri to Coimbatore, constituting a key segment of the KKBMPL project, with an anticipated project cost of ₹2,187 crore. This initiative aims to provide eco-friendly and affordable fuel to industries, households, and the transport sector in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The pipeline, boasting a capacity of four million metric standard cubic meters per day (MMSCMD), is targeted for completion by November 2024. The pipeline route is predominantly aligned with highways, Mr. Mowar added.

Explaining the benefits of the project, Mr. Mowar said that the Krishnagiri to Coimbatore pipeline will traverse through Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore districts, thereby connecting Tamil Nadu to the National Gas Grid. This strategic infrastructure project is expected to create employment opportunities and serve as a catalyst for the development of the region, particularly in industries like fertilizer and petrochemical complexes.

With the expansion of the National Gas Grid, branch lines connecting cities and towns along the route will facilitate access to environment-friendly fuel for industries, CNG for vehicles, and PNG for households.

Additionally, it will contribute to the reduction of vehicular carbon emissions and provide uninterrupted access to clean natural gas. This pipeline project is slated to provide approximately 6.5 lakh mandays of direct or indirect employment during the construction phase. The completion of the Krishnagiri-Coimbatore pipeline will connect nine districts in Tamil Nadu to clean natural gas. It is anticipated to reduce around 2.7 lakh tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. It provides 24x7 PNG to approximately 59.2 lakh consumers and an additional 1,198 CNG stations, Mr. Mowar added.