Gas infrastructure in India is primarily concentrated in Western and Northern parts. Of late, the government has paid greater attention towards the expansion of grid network to Eastern and Southern parts, wherein GAIL (India) Limited alone is executing over 6,500 km of gas pipelines. There is a bright outlook for the city gas distribution sector in India, with an expected investment of over Rs 900 billion in the next decade. However, there are a number of challenges that are acting as a hindrance to the growth of pipeline network such as falling domestic production, low pipeline utilisation, high restoration charges and availability of alternative polluting fuels at economical rates, amongst others.
In the 15th annual conference on City Gas Distribution in India organised by India Infrastructure Publishing, Ashu Singhal, CGM, GAIL (India) Limited made a presentation on the current status and the way forward for the pipeline infrastructure in India.