In an important disclosure,  the State Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh said  on Friday said that Uttarakhand's first CNG station will open in Haridwar by the end of December 2016  following which  CNG-driven buses would start  operating along Haridwar-Dehradun, Rishikesh and Rookee routes. 

Besides, the  domestic consumers of gas would reap substantial benefits too once  the scheme is implemented.  The CNG station depot will be opened in Haridwar and Manglaur.  Haridwar district administration has been instructed to make arrangements for land for the opening of Haridwar-based  natural gas office and the CNG station. Singh disclosed this while reviewing its progress report in  the secretariat on Friday.

 The meeting decided that laying of gas pipelines by BHEl and SIDCUl should be completed  at the earliest.

In Haridwar city, the work  of  laying  the gas pipeline is in progress, CS said, adding  that  2305 square meter area would come under the pipeline project  with the work being executed jointly by BPCl (Bharat Petroleum Corporation limited)  and GAIl (Gas Authority of India limited). With this pipe, the natural gas (PNG) connection will also be given to the domestic users.

However,  this  is in the initial stage and will take another five year to connect Haridwar with PNG through these lines,  CS said while  deliberating on the project during  the meeting.

 Talking to The Pioneer,  a BPCl official Pranjay Mishra said that as the pipeline would be same both CNG and PNG would be supplied at the same time. 

“Technically, CNG is compressed natural gas which needs high pressure to fill the gas tank of the vehicles while PNG (Piped Natural Gas), which needs low pressure so that domestic consumers can easily consume it in their gas stove  supplied through the pipeline.

 The meeting was attended among others  by irrigation secretary Anand Bardhan, secretary Urban Development DS Garbyal, secretary Drinking water Arvind Singh Hyanki, MD UTC Brajesh Sant and DM Haridwar Harbans Singh Chugh.