PESHAWAR: Work on 32km gas supply line from Darra Adamkhel to Peshawar is nearing completion to augment and address low gas pressure issue of tail-end consumers in nearly half the provincial metropolis, it was learnt here on Monday.

Engineers working at the sales meter station Peshawar, while briefing SNGPL General Manager Arbab Mohammad Saqib disclosed that work on the 16-inch diameter pipeline directly linking gas field in the southern districts of KP with Peshawar would be ready by early next week, much ahead of its scheduled date of completion.

The project, costing Rs560 million, was originally scheduled to be completed by June 2019.

The pipeline traverses some of the most difficult and risky terrains including areas once seen as badly affected by militancy to reach all the way from the arms manufacturing market to Peshawar.

The new pipeline would augment gas pressure in areas like University Town, Hayatabad, Regi Model Town and could be further extended beyond to provide gas to consumers as far as in the tribal districts of Khyber, Mr Saqib was told.

Similarly, a 16-inch diameter pipeline spanning over 8.1 kms costing Rs160 million would provide direct gas to the industrial estate near Hayatabad and enhance the already existing gas system.

Mr Saqib said that plans were afoot to separate CNG stations from domestic consumers’ supply line.

Besides, the upgradation of 27km pipeline along the under-construction BRT route had already been commissioned.

The SNGPL GM, while speaking on the occasion said that old pipeline system laid down in the 1970s and 1980s had already been upgraded at a cost of Rs253 million.

He added that 90 per cent of work on the pipeline had already been completed costing Rs300 million through which major lacunas in the gas supply system would be addressed.

“Our workers and engineers are working day and night to complete the projects on war footing, he said.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2019