Bengaluru: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Chemicals & Fertilisers Ananth Kumar on Sunday inaugurated city gas distribution (CGD) project in Bengaluru.
“I want Karnataka government to introduce Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) driven buses in Bengaluru to reduce pollution and bring down temperature in the city,’’ Ananth Kumar said.
He asked Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan to take measures to open more CNG stations in Bengaluru. “I appeal Karnataka government to take measures for introducing CNG-driven buses across the state in a phased manner,’’ he said.
The Bengaluru CGD project is being implemented by GAIL Gas Limited at an investment of Rs.6,283 crore. The project will cover 4,395 sq km in urban and rural Bengaluru, broadly covering eight sectors Nelamangala, Doddaballapur, Devanahalli Hosakotein Bengaluru rural, Anekal in Bengaluru urban, Bengaluru east, Bengaluru north and Bengaluru south.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said the GAIL Gas Limited plans to open 60 CNG stations around Bengaluru. “Three CNG stations at Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus depots at Sumanahalli, Hennur and Peenya ready for commissioning,’’ Pradhan said.
The GAIL Gas Limited has connected nine industries with piped Natural Gas including Intel, BOSCH, BHEL, Apotex Pharmachemicals, Adcock Ingram Ltd., Garuda Polyflex, GTR Aluminium, Exclusive Overseas and Toyota Industries Engineering India Ltd.
“We have invested Rs 700 crore in 18 months to lay 500-km pipeline in Bengaluru,’’ GAIL India Limited chairman and managing director B.C. Tripathi said.
The GAIL Gas Ltd has laid infrastructure for around 34,500 households in the city. Out of which 23,300 houses are ready for conversion and approximately 3,000 houses are already using Piped Natural Gas (PNG).
It plans to ensure uninterrupted supply of PNG to 132,000 households in five years.
Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D.V. Sadanda Gowda, Karnataka Chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia were present on the occasion.
