GAIL's MNJPL Pipeline Set for December Commissioning

30 Sep 2025 CW Team

GAIL (India) Limited has announced that its 1,707-kilometre Mumbai–Nagpur–Jharsuguda Pipeline (MNJPL) is on track for commissioning by 31 December 2025, following years of delays and cost escalation. The company’s board approved the revised schedule in September.

Spanning Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha, the MNJPL has been classified as a high-impact infrastructure project under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan to enhance India’s multi-modal connectivity. Construction is complete in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh, with only an 11-kilometre stretch in Maharashtra pending. Approximately 1,440 kilometres of the pipeline is already gas-in ready.

The pipeline forms a critical part of India’s expanding National Gas Grid, aimed at providing clean energy to city gas distribution networks and industrial users in underserved regions. According to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), the pipeline traverses 17 geographical areas across 60 districts, improving fuel accessibility and supporting industrial growth in central and eastern India.

Originally scheduled for completion in June 2025, the project faced delays due to forest clearances and land acquisition issues, leading to a revised commissioning date of 31 December 2025. In June, GAIL approved a cost overrun of Rs 4.11 billion, bringing the total project outlay to Rs 82.55 billion, up from Rs 78.44 billion — a 5.24 per cent increase.

Once operational, the MNJPL is expected to reduce reliance on polluting fuels, supporting India’s target of raising natural gas’s share in the energy mix to 15 per cent by 2030. The final stretch in Maharashtra and integration testing will be closely monitored, with the pipeline poised to transform fuel accessibility, industrial competitiveness, and environmental sustainability in the region.

Infrastructure Transport

17 Oct 2025

Sonowal Unveils Eight Projects at NMPA’s Golden Jubilee

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated the Curtain Raiser Ceremony of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) at Bharat Mandapam. To commemorate the milestone, he unveiled eight major maritime infrastructure projects designed to strengthen India’s port network, enhance logistics performance, and promote sustainability. These include a modern cruise terminal, new covered storage facilities, a 150-bed multi-speciality hospital, expanded truck terminals, and improved port access infrastructure aimed at enhancing..

India To Boost US LPG Imports, Cut Middle East Reliance

India is planning to reduce imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the Middle East as state-owned refiners prepare to ramp up purchases from the United States, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move aligns with New Delhi’s efforts to expand energy cooperation and secure a broader trade deal with Washington. State refiners have already notified their traditional LPG suppliers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar of the potential reduction in imports. Although the exact size of the supply cut was not disclosed, earlier reports suggested that Indi..

UK Sanctions Nayara Energy in Crackdown on Russian Oil

The United Kingdom has announced fresh sanctions on 90 entities, including Indian refiner Nayara Energy Limited, in its latest bid to curb Russian oil revenues and weaken President Vladimir Putin’s war funding. The sanctions, unveiled jointly by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the UK Treasury, aim to disrupt networks supporting Moscow’s crude exports amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to the FCDO, the new restrictions are intended to “strike at the heart of Putin’s war funding” by targeting firms and assets that enable Russia’s energy trade. “..