National oil marketing company Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has resumed work on its prestigious, cross-country Paradip-Hyderabad petroproduct pipeline project in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
It restarted recently after the Centre permitted certain relaxation during the lockdown, subject to approval of the State government concerned. With approvals from local administration, limited manpower and precautionary measures, the work was underway at about 15 locations in AP and 10 places in Odisha, across districts, an official associated with the project said.
Some 7-10 people are on the job at each location, attending to the leftover work comprising welding, lowering and back filling. Most of them are migrant workers who stayed back and taken care by the company and its contractors at the camps, the official said.
Of the total 1,212 km for which the pipeline will run, welding work as well restoration of the farm lands has been completed on 1,000 km., including on much of the 160 km in Telangana.
The pipeline, however, will be of little use in Telangana unless the accompanying, crucial terminal in Malkapur, near Hyderabad, is ready. The terminal on about 70 acres that will be the culmination point for the pipeline as per the present plan is likely to take about two years to be completed, the official said, adding work in Telangana will resume after the lockdown or once similar relaxations are allowed.
The IOC had conceived the pipeline project for improving fuel availability – petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation turbine fuel – in the region by supplying the products from its Paradip refinery to the demand centres in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The estimated investment on the pipeline is ₹3,800 crore and it is designed to handle 4.5 million tonne products annually.
A host of associated facilities such as pumping stations, terminals and depots will support the pipeline.
The one month when no work could be taken up in view of the COVID-19 triggered lockdown was part of the season when such projects witness brisk activity for various reasons, including favourable weather conditions. Once monsoon sets in, early June, the fieldwork will again be impacted, the official said, adding the pipeline project was unlikely to be completed as planned by August.