GUWAHATI: The capital city of Guwahati is slated to get piped gas supply by next year.

Through the city gas distribution network being set up by Purba Bharati Gas Private Ltd, a joint venture of three public sector units — Assam Gas Company Ltd (AGCL), Oil India Limited (OIL) and GAIL Gas Ltd, city residents will have the option of piped cooking gas by 2021.

Chairman of Duliajan Numaligarh Pipeline Limited (DNPL), Rupam Goswami, said that work was ongoing to bring the gas line from Numaligarh in Upper Assam to Nagaon.

He said, “The DNPL, which is also a joint venture of OIL, Numaligarh Refinery Limited and Assam Gas Company Limited, is laying down the pipelines to bring the gas from Numaligarh to Nagaon. Subsequently, the operation will move to Cachar through Hojai and Lanka.”

Adding to him, the chairman of Purba Bharati Gas Private Limited, Gokul Swargiyari said that piped gas will be provided in Kamrup Metro and Kamrup.

“We are expecting that in the next nine months, we will able to provide piped gas in Guwahati,” said Swargiyari adding that already 300 gas connections were provided in Silchar.

He informed that in two Kamrup districts, at least 3 lakh connections will be provided.

The Barauni to Guwahati section of the Nation Gas Grid is likely to be completed by next year. Thereafter, eight states of the northeast will be connected by Indradhanush Gas Grid Ltd to the National Gas Grid.