The government has decided to supply pipeline gas to the northern region of the country. The main construction work of the gas transmission line will start next in January.
According to the Energy Division, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised to ensure a natural gas facility for Rangpur, Nilphamari, Pirganj city and the adjoining areas, making it the highest priority project.
A state-owned Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) official said the main purpose of the project is to accelerate socio-economic development by supplying gas to the northern part of the country and to meet the gas demand of commercial and other customers. The project also aims at creating opportunity to install gas-based power plants and industrial organizations.
Under the project, 150 km high pressure gas transmission pipeline of 30-inch diameter with 1000 PSIG (pound per square inch gauge) or 70.3kg/square cm will be constructed from Bogura to Saidpur. 100 MMSCFD CGS (City Gate Station) 50 (Rangpur) and 20 (Pirganj) MMSCFD capable TBS (Town Border Station) will be set up.
Energy Division sources said the much-desired northern gas transmission pipeline was targeted to be completed by June, 2021. Later, the deadline was extended to December, 2022. However, it may be delayed further due to the complex problem of land acquisition and coronavirus epidemic. It is expected that the total work will be completed by 2023.
Khondoker Ariful Islam, Project Director of Bogura-Rangpur-Saidpur Gas Transmission Pipeline, told The Bangladesh Post ‘a tender has already been floated to construct the pipeline, River and Canal crossing by Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) method and Installation of CGS (City gate station) and TBS (Town border station).
The first consignment of the Line Pipe arrived and the rest are expected to arrive at Chattogram Port by next month. We hope, the main construction will start within January. Although the work was disrupted due to Coronavirus, we are trying to complete the work within 2021.’
‘In the geographical and regional context, Saidpur and Rangpur are the most important locations for the development of commerce and industry. There are many small and big industries located in Saidpur and Rangpur city and inside the BSCIC. The new gas pipeline will help develop the overall economy of the area,’ he added.
Land Acquisition (305.33 Acres) and Requisition (576.37 Acres) under the four districts Bogura, Gaibandha, Rangpur and Nilphamari are in progress. Procurement of Induction Bends, Coating Materials, different type & size Valves and Miscellaneous Fittings & Pig Trap are completed under the project. On the other hand, Procurement of 30-inch Line Pipe, Station Pipe and 36-inch Casing Pipe are in progress. The parallel activities are also going on to engage national contractors against Land Development, Retaining and Boundary wall, Residential Buildings and other Buildings and Structures.
The total cost of the project has been estimated at Tk 137,855 lakh. Of these, GTCL will provide taka 1003 lakh and rest of the amount of taka 136,852 lakh will be provided by the Government.
However, state-owned Pashchimanchal Gas Company Limited (PGCL has also undertaken a separate project to construct a gas distribution line along with the transmission pipeline. There will be a 100 km distribution line under the project. Of this, 44 km is in Rangpur city, 10 km in Pirganj and 46 km in Nilphamari and Uttara EPZ (Export Processing Zone) areas. The cost of the proposed project has been estimated at Tk 256 crore.
‘The DPP (development project proposal) was submitted to the planning commission. However, the commission has returned it to Petrobangla for some queries. The revised DPP has also been submitted to the energy division and now it will be sent to the planning commission soon for approval,’ according to the Energy Division.
