Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline to the nation on Tuesday on January 5 at 11 am through video conferencing. The much-hyped project is expected to provide cheaper and cleaner fuel to industrial, residential consumers and give a big boost to the economy.
The virtual inauguration ceremony will also be attended by the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, along with their Karnataka counterparts and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan.
The much-delayed Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline project finally hit completion and was declared for commissioning in November last year by national energy major Gail India (GAIL). The project was initially launched in 2009 and had a target to be completed by 2014. The estimated cost of the project at the time of its launch was Rs 2,915 crore. However, several public safety concerns and land price negotiations delayed the project.
Here are few facts about the Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline project: