Throughout the years, we’ve used gas cylinders for our cooking. Gas pipelines were almost unheard of in the country although, in recent years, these have come into existence. As a result, big cities like Bombay and Delhi don’t have much use for cylinders anymore. And this could be a reality in Goa too in the future.
Piped gas for residents of Miramar and Dona Paula
According to the news, Goa Natural Gas Ltd. is the company responsible for kickstarting the project. They have received all the necessary permissions and are all set to lay the pipeline that will provide piped cooking gas to residents of Miramar and Dona Paula.
KK Sachdeva, CEO of Goa Natural Gas, said that permission from the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) had been recently received for laying the pipeline along three roads under the CCP jurisdiction. This includes the outer road from Miramar to Dona Paula Circle and the inner Caranzalem road to Dona Paula, he said.
According to him, the pipeline will be brought from Marcaim in Ponda taluka to Panjim via Merces. This entire network in Panaji will benefit several housing complexes in the city. Households will be supplied piped natural gas for kitchen use and charged on the basis of meter reading at individual homes. Sachdeva further said that residents in these localities won’t need LPG cylinders once the piped gas is made available. He added that households in the city will benefit from the project after the CCP grants permission to extend the pipeline to all areas.
There are also plans to extend this gas pipeline network to Taleigao, Dona Paula and even Bambolim.
A blessing for households?
It is quite expensive to use LPG cylinders. Natural gas is actually 23 percent cheaper than a subsidized cylinder and 53 percent cheaper than a non-subsidized one. Reports even say that it is a safer option as opposed to using cylinders. And once the project is complete, every household, commercial and industrial unit will be able to avail of it. Additionally, CNG stations will also be set up. It is also expected to benefit local industry and the state transport undertaking viz. the KTC.
So far, the company has succeeded in laying the distribution network in most parts of Ponda.
The project comprises an underground network of pipelines supplying gas on tap to homes of residents, industrial estates and CNG filling stations. The pipeline will be laid via Merces, NH66, Bambolim, Dona Paula, Miramar, Caranzalem, Taleigao, Campal and densely populated commercial areas of Panaji. It will originate from the valve station at Marcaim to Kundaim industrial estate along GIDC road, PWD road and NH-4A.
Only time will tell if this is a feasible option or not. The responsible parties also need to keep on their toes and maintain the pipeline properly. Or else the whole of Goa, should the network extend everywhere in the state, could become a ticking time bomb.
