Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) Chairman, L Man Singh on Wednesday assured Chief Minister K Rosaiah that the supply of cooking gas through pipes would begin in the GHMC area positively in the next two months.
The piped cooking gas distribution will start from NALSAR Colony, Shamirpet and will be extended to other parts of the city soon.
Mr Rosaiah thanked Mr Man Singh and the officials for all the support extended to Andhra Pradesh in honoring the requests.
He said the PNGRB has been extending the fullest support to Andhra Pradesh in developing an Integrated Gas Grid. The Chief Minister said the PNGRB accepted the State proposal for district as a unit in City Gas Distribution and are thankful that district-wise gas distribution plan is being laid.
The Chief Minister was happy that the PNGRB had recently notified four districts -- Ranga Reddy, Medak, Nalgonda and Khammam --- for bidding to develop City Gas Distribution network. Already the gas distribution for Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Kakinada and Rajahmundry has been awarded and the work was in progress. The APGIC will submit bids for four districts, which are recently notified.
Mr Rosaiah said the State government (Andhra Pradesh Gas Infrastructure Corporation) requested the PNGRB to take up trunk line between Kakinda and Kolkotha, so that the distribution network can be laid in the districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, as the Kakinada-Kolkata trunk line has not been taken up so far.
He said that the State Government (APGIC) will be approaching the PNGRB for City Gas Distribution network for the remaining districts starting from West Godavari, Krishna, Warangal, Karimnagar, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari.
The Gas Distribution in the districts falling south to Krishna river was also being planned by the State and shortly Expression of Interest will be filed with the PNGRB.
The Chief Minister said a proposal for a regional grid for the entire State was under preparation and the APGIC will approach the PNGRB for bidding shortly.
Mr Rosaiah requested the PNGRB to extend the same support, as they have been giving, in future also to complete the plans which APGIC has prepared for the Gas Distribution in Andhra Pradesh for all the sectors including domestic, industrial, transport, commercial, power and fertiliser plants and so on.
The State government requested the PNGRB to complete all the trunk lines passing through Andhra Pradesh and wanted the Kakinada-Chennai trunk line to be taken up on priority basis as it will give gas connectivity for all the districts of south coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, as large number of industrial units are coming up in Chittoor, Tirupati and Nellore districts.
The Chief Minister was told that the bid process for central India trunk line, which is crossing the districts of Krishna, Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar and Adilabad was on. He said that the same should be finalised and awarded at the earliest. Trunk line connecting Chennai and Bengaluru should also be completed as it will cater to the requirements of Rayalaseema districts.
Mr Rosaiah also thanked the PNGRB for all the support they have extended and assured that Andhra Pradesh will extend full cooperation in achieving the objectives of development of gas net work in Andhra Pradesh.