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Bathinda-Srinagar gas pipeline via Haryana hits hurdle
Hooda govt yet to clear project; Omar writes to Haryana CM, seeks speedy action
Arteev Sharma
Tribune News Service

The dream project The 750-km proposed pipeline would originate from Bathinda. After passing through Haryana, the pipeline would cover eight districts of J-K with its tail end in Srinagar It would ensure round-the-clock supply of LPG in the Valley. During winter, the Valley remains cut off due to heavy snow and people don’t get LPG cylinders easily The project, approved in June 2012, was supposed to be completed within 36 months. However, it has been facing bureaucratic hurdles

Jammu, January 14
The ambitious Bathinda-Srinagar gas pipeline project that promises round-the-clock LPG supply in the Valley has hit a roadblock as it hasn’t got a clearance from the Haryana Government yet.

The 750-km proposed pipeline would originate from Bathinda and after passing through Haryana, cover eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir up to its tail end in Srinagar.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has shot off a letter to his Haryana counterpart Bhupinder Singh Hooda, seeking his personal intervention “to sort out administrative hiccups” and accord clearance to the project at the earliest.

The Rs 880-crore project was envisaged to connect the J&K with the National Gas Grid through a pipeline and ultimately link individual households in the state with gas stations through a network of lines for round-the-clock supply of LPG, especially during winter when the Valley remains cut off due to heavy snow.

The project, approved in June 2012, was supposed to be completed within 36 months. However, it has been facing bureaucratic hurdles. The project had earlier faced land acquisition problem in Jammu and Kashmir due to its special status. The state government had to bring an ordinance to facilitate the acquisition process for early completion of the project which is being executed by Gujarat State Petronet Limited (GSPL).

“Our Chief Minister has sent a letter to Hooda. The Punjab Government has already cleared the project and we are hopeful that the Haryana Government would accord its approval to the project soon,” said Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, J-K Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD).

“It is a dream project for J-K. People in the Valley face hardships in getting LPG cylinders in winter due to snow,” the minister said.