THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the UDF Government announcing the much-hyped investor-friendly draft industrial policy, the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) is running from pillar to post to get clearance for laying pipes for the prestigious Rs 4,000-crore Petronet Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal in Kochi. Though the work of the project was launched, the GAIL was denied permission by the Naval Armament Depot (NAD) and the Kochi Corporation to continue the work. Now the promoters of the Kochi Smart City have also denied permission to the GAIL for going ahead with the work citing security reasons. Though the industrial policy had initially given much hope to the entrepreneurs who come to invest in Kerala, the experience of the GAIL, a Navaratna company, in executing a prestigious project is gradually turning sour. In the first phase, the Kochi-Mangalore pipeline will have feeder lines to Vypeen, Udyogamandal, Kalamassery and Kakkanad. In the initial stage itself, the infrastructure for the major industrial development in the state is in jeopardy.When the draft industrial policy came up for discussion at various platforms, the industrialists of the state had pointed out the poor infrastructure. The entrepreneurs could be attracted only if they are provided with all the basic facilities by the government for setting up a unit. The pipelines are to be laid for carrying LNG to Brahmapuram from where power can be generated at a cheaper price. The clearance given by the Single Window Clearance Board and the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) for laying pipes is now being ignored by various agencies. GAIL sources said that discussions were held at various levels to implement the project. But the talks have failed in finding a breakthrough. Once completed, the project will give support to various industries in the state and this could attract more investors to Kerala. The GAIL has completed 80 per cent of the 43-km work in the first phase. The remaining work can be completed only with the clearance of government bodies. As the work is getting delayed, the GAIL also is incurring losses owing to cost escalation. It was made clear to the Smart City officials that the pipes were laid along the periphery of the Smart City project area. The laying work is done as per international standards and it would also help the IT industries use LNG for power generation, which is much cheaper. Additional Chief Secretary (Industries and Commerce) T Balakrishnan told ‘Express’ that permission was granted to the GAIL to lay the pipeline according to the earlier plan. A written permission will be issued within a couple of days.The file for the transfer of land of the Naval Armament Depot (NAD), Aluva, is also pending before the Defence Ministry. Though it was ensured that the land would be handed over soon, no steps had been taken by the authorities to complete the formalities.Kochi Corporation issued a stop memo to the work to be carried out at Brahmapuram demanding calculation of the actual value of the land needed for laying the pipes and 10 per cent of the actual value has to be collected as road-cutting charges. Smart City managing director Baju George was not available for comment. The LNG project would have helped the motorists by providing cheap Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as the prices of fuel are increasing steadily. The City Gas Project in Kochi, which has been planned to provide piped cooking gas, will also be delayed now.
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