GAIL completes laying Kochi-Mangaluru gas pipeline, expects to be commissioned by December

The Gas Authority of India Limited's Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline laying has been completed and is expected to be commissioned by next month, while the Bengaluru line is expected to be commissioned by January 2021.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday that of the 510-kilometre Mangaluru line that passes through Kerala, the last stretch over Chandragiri river in Kasargod was completed by Saturday. It is expected to be commissioned by December first week.

The Koottanad-Walayar stretch of Bengaluru pipe line is likely to be commissioner by 2021 January. So far, 94 km work of the line was completed, he said.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for clearing the obstacles of the project, Vijayan said that state would get Rs 500 crore to Rs 720 crore tax revenue.

The project that was launched in 2009 was getting much delayed owing to protests against pipe line laying. The cost of the project had also almost doubled to reach around Rs. 5750 crore.

Vijayan continues attack on central agencies

The Chief Minister reiterated his attack against central investigations agencies, especially the ED, for probing into Kerala's flagship projects. He also alleged that the Kerala Fibre Optic Network project that aims at providing high-speed internet free of cost to 20 lakh families was being sabotaged with the intention of favouring private players.

In a related development, Chief Minister's former principal secretary M Sivasankar, who was already arrested by ED, said in a statement before a court in Kochi considering his bail application that central agencies were forcing him to name politicians. Court will deliver judgment on bail application on Tuesday.