State Government and Gujarat State Petronet Ltd have initiated the ground survey in Udhampur district for laying the Bhatinda-Jammu – Srinagar Gas Pipeline.The District administration has started the interdepartmental joint inspection to ascertain the feasibility of the two routes proposed for laying the pipeline. The survey has been started to expedite the land acquisition as decided in a meeting chaired by Minister for CAPD last month followed by a series of meetings between district administration and GSPL.District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary briefed the officers for route survey and single window clearance for permission by all the departments. Abdul Hamid Consultant, GSPL, presented a resume of the route map, distribution network, employment to be generated in district, advanced technology of construction ensuring minimal interference with environment, relocation of utilities and other aspects of the project.
The DDC reviewed the progress achieved by the departments of Forests, Wildlife, Social Forestry, PHE, PWD, NHAI, Revenue and other organizations for ground verification and preliminary survey done in last two weeks for proposed Samba-Mansar-Udhampur route along proposed NH and Jammu-Nandni-Udhampur route along National Highway. He informed the Jammu-Nandni-Udhampur route has been found more feasible with minimum resource involvement.However the departments will carry joint technical inspection for both the routes.It was decided in the meeting that joint technical inspection will be started on August 4 by GSPL and departments of Revenue, Forests, Social Forestry, Wildlife, NHAI, PWD, PDD, PHE and other organisations for finalisation of route, distribution network, storage points and other vital infrastructure of the Gas Pipeline project in district.
The process of acquisition of user rights has already been completed in Kathua and Samba districts and for further extension of the gas pipeline to Kashmir valley, the survey and inspections have been completed in Udhampur which will be followed by acquisition of user rights and underground right of way. Distribution network is also being planned for Udhampur town for catering 35,000 families by 2022.The meeting was attended by ADC Angrez Singh Rana, CPO Rakesh Jamwal, ACR Rajiv Magotra, SDM Ramnagar D Sharma, Chief Engineer GSPL R Goswami, DFO Harmohinder Singh, DFO-SF Shweta Deonia, ExEn PHE, PWD, PMGSY, PDD, Wildife Warden, Tehsildars, BDOs and field officials of other departments.