Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday inaugurated AG&P Pratham’s liquefied compressed natural gas (LCNG) station near Manthangal village at Walajah Taluk in Ranipet district. He opened the station via videoconference, in the presence of Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu, Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu and company officials.
Abhilesh Gupta, Managing Director and CEO of the firm, said the LCNG station was the first of its kind in Tamil Nadu, and the commissioning of the facility was a significant step toward transitioning Vellore and Ranipet and their surrounding areas to a gas-based ecosystem. The company will develop a 300-km pipeline network in Vellore-Ranipet area by the end of FY23. The new station will benefit over 30,000 households and 325 industrial and commercial establishments across Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur, he added.
A company official explained that they get CNG in liquefied form from the Indian Oil Corporation’s liquefied natural gas terminal in Ennore by road, and then regassify it into gas to be supplied to vehicles, industries, homes and commercial establishments.
The unit has a capacity to handle 100 tonnes of gas per day, and will serve customers in Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur. Currently, the company supplies around 20 tonnes of gas in these districts, and the quantity is set to increase with contracts being signed with end-users.
In the 14 months for which it has been functioning in the State, the company has set up 44 CNG stations; provided direct and indirect employment to 1,500 persons; and tied up with industrial training institutes to provide training for deserving youth.
Over a period of eight years, AG&P Pratham plans to invest ₹2,700 crore in Tamil Nadu; set up 200 CNG stations; provide piped natural gas connections to 22 lakh houses, 10,000 commercial establishments and 500 industries; and create 7,000 jobs. The company is currently developing city gas distribution (CDG) networks in six districts of Tamil Nadu, including Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Chennai, Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur and Ramanathapuram.
