GAIL completes Kochi-Mangalore natural gas pipeline

GAIL (India) Limited has completed the Kochi- Mangaluru natural gas pipeline project. The pipeline is ready for commissioning as the company has completed the final 540 metre treacherous stretch across the Chandragiri river in northern Kerala. The 444 km long natural gas pipeline project was launched in 2009 at an estimated cost of Rs 29.15 billion and was to be commissioned in 2014. But opposition on safety and commercial grounds (wherein the land price was the main hurdle) both from political parties and the public caused delays in project execution. This led to the cost nearly doubling to over Rs 57.5 billion. At present, the pipeline is charged up to Kannur and is live up to Kuttanad in Palakkad district, 90 km north of Kochi, as of June 2019. Kuttanad is the main junction of the project from which the line bifurcates to Mangaluru and Bengaluru.