Kochi: Four infra majors bid for GAIL gas project

Kochi: The 503-km GAIL gas project in the state has got a shot in the arm with four infrastructure majors submitting their bids when the deadline ended on Wednesday.

“China Petroleum Pip-eline, JSIW Infrastructure, Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd (KPTL) and IL&FS have submitted their bids for the project,” GAIL sources said.

“Now we will go in for technical evaluation of the bids, after which the price bids will be opened. We expect the whole process to be completed and work awarded in three weeks.”

China Petroleum Pipeline has already undertaken a project of GAIL while the others have wide experience in the infrastructure industry. GAIL had to extend the deadline twice earlier for lack of sufficient participants. “The companies had asked for more time and we complied with their request,” the sources said.

Of a total of 503 km which covers the entire length from Kochi to Mangalore in the first line and up to Palakkad in the second. The work on lowering the pipes and welding in about 40 km, which was awarded earlier, is progressing as scheduled, the sources said.

The project, which seeks to evacuate liquid natural gas (LNG), stored in the two terminals at Puthuvypeen, had been in the limbo for about two years after the state government failed to facilitate buying right of use for the land through which the pipeline passes. While the project faced minimum resistance in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, GAIL had to stop the project in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts thanks to opposition from the public. “At present, we have undertaken programmes to convince the local residents on the safety of the project and the handsome remuneration package the land owners would get,” GAIL sources said. “We hope we wilol be able to go ahead with the work in those districts as well.”