Mizoram will have piped natural gas (PNG) connections for household cooking by early 2028, officials announced after Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL) began laying a 119.45‑km pipeline from Panisagar in northern Tripura to Aizawl.
During a site visit on Monday, State Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs B. Lalchhanzova inspected the works at Tuidam in Mamit district and met senior officials overseeing the Northeast Gas Grid Project. He highlighted that recent global conflicts have disrupted LPG supplies, prompting the state to seek a more reliable fuel source.
The Northeast Gas Grid Project earmarks roughly Rs 9,265 crore to install 1,656 km of pipelines across the eight Northeastern states. Under this scheme, IGGL is linking Mizoram to the Tripura Natural Gas Company Limited (TNGCL) at an estimated cost of Rs 491 crore. The first phase will serve Mamit and Aizawl districts.
According to the minister, the pipeline segment reaching Mamit town should be operational by March‑April 2027, while the stretch to Sihhmui in Aizawl district is slated for March‑April 2028. Once IGGL completes the main line, TNGCL will begin providing PNG connections to households and other consumers in the two districts, delivering cleaner and more convenient cooking fuel.
Lalchhanzova also expressed optimism that the new supply could enable the introduction of compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles, reducing reliance on conventional liquid fuels. He urged IGGL to accelerate the schedule and pledged full cooperation from the Mizoram government.
On the ground, officials noted that a 1.5‑km stretch of the pipeline route requires widening of the Tuidam approach road. Coordination meetings between IGGL and the Public Works Department were held to align road‑repair plans with pipeline construction.
Of the total length, about 15.105 km will pass through six villages in Tripura, while the remaining 104.345 km will traverse 20 villages in Mizoram before terminating at Aizawl. IGGL is a joint venture of Indian Oil Corporation, ONGC, GAIL, Oil India and Numaligarh Refinery, executing the project as part of the broader Northeast Gas Grid.
Image: mangalorean.com
📰 Source: Mangalorean News