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.

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