City gas supply scheme to be extended to entire Ernakulam district
Kochi: The government has decided to implement the city gas supply scheme in all the taluks of Ernakulam district. Currently, the natural gas pipeline is available from Karingachira via Kundannur and Edappally up to Aluva. The decision has been taken to extend it to Angamaly, Perumbavoor and Kolancherry. The groundwork has started in all the six municipalities.
At present, 2,500 houses in Thrikkakara Municipality are getting gas. The plumbing work has been completed in 1,500 houses. In addition to nine CNG stations, work is in progress at Wellington Island, Kalady, Perumbavoor and Poothottam. Municipalities that have not given permission to implement the project have been directed to take a decision within 21 days.
With the implementation of the scheme, natural gas will be available to round the clock in every household, without any interruption. Gas will be 30% cheaper than conventional fuel. In addition to domestic consumers; CNG vehicles, commercial and industrial consumers will also benefit from the scheme. The use of gas in CNG vehicles reduces air pollution. It is also safer to use as the density of the gas is much lower than that of other cooking gases.
Like water and electricity bills, the gas bills will have to be paid according to the meter reading based on usage. For domestic consumers, the price is Rs 752.92 per MMBTU (Metric Million British Thermal Unit). The price is Rs 850.33 per unit for commercial customers and Rs 720.72 per unit for industrial customers. The price for CNG consumers is Rs 57.30 per kg. The average monthly consumption of natural gas for a family of four is estimated at 0.4 units which translate to a monthly expenditure of Rs. 300 only.
The natural gas reaches the GAIL gas pipeline from the Petronet LNG terminal at Puthuvypin. GAIL supplies natural gas to the Indian Oil Adani Gas Pvt Ltd (IOAGPL) pipeline from the valve station at Kalamassery. IOAGPL then delivers the gas to customers through steel or MDPE pipelines.
The City Gas Project can be set up and natural gas supplied only in the area permitted under the license obtained from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), a Central Government body. In Kerala, IOAGPL got the permission to supply natural gas in Ernakulam district in the fourth bidding round of PNG RB. Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kannur, Kasargod, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts have been approved in the ninth bidding round.