Underground gas pipeline to be installed in Siliguri

Siliguri: After the overhead cables, a decision has been taken to lay gas pipelines underground. The Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) held an initial meeting with Gautam Deb, Mayor of Siliguri, to discuss the installation of underground gas pipelines in the city. The meeting took place on Friday at the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) office.

Following the meeting, Mayor Gautam Deb stated that GAIL is planning to provide house-to-house gas connections through underground pipelines, covering both domestic and commercial requirements. The project will involve the creation of 1,200 kilometers of micro-tunnels across the city.

As part of a pilot project, the first phase will focus on laying a 47-kilometer pipeline. “Once the pilot phase is successfully implemented, the remaining areas will be covered,” said Deb. This project comes in tandem with SMC’s ongoing efforts to upgrade Siliguri’s utility infrastructure. The Corporation is already working on underground cabling to replace overhead electric wires, starting with an investment of Rs 199 crore for 17 wards. The total cost for the citywide cabling project is estimated at Rs 500 crore. The gas pipeline installation, which will also utilise micro-tunneling technology, will be executed entirely by GAIL.