SRINAGAR: In a strategic move to address energy needs in landlocked Kashmir region, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has kick-started a bidding process for the construction of a 325 km gas pipeline. This ambitious project aims to enhance accessibility and ensure a reliable energy supply for the people of Kashmir and aims to introduce the use of natural gas in the valley, aligning with national efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote environmentally friendly energy solutions. It is expected to stimulate economic activities in the region, offering a cleaner and more efficient energy source for industries, businesses, and households. The PNGRB invited bids for grant of authorisation 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. Earlier in June last year, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), the country’s largest gas distributor, had secured the license to construct a gas pipeline from Gurdaspur in Punjab to Jammu. The pipeline, spanning 175 kilometers, will transport environmentally friendly fuel to Jammu and will initially have a capacity to carry at least 2 million standard cubic meters per day. In the Union Budget 2022-23, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a new gas pipeline project for development of Jammu and Kashmir.
