TAPI pipeline project to commence soon

01 Nov 2021 CW Team

Authorities from Turkmenistan are likely to arrive this weekend in Kabul to discuss commencing the work on the 1,800 kilometre TAPI pipeline, which Unocal vice-president Marty Miller's imagination helped birth—and, if it was not for 9/11, Unocal might just have succeeded.

TAPI is built to transport 33 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas each year from the Galkynysh fields, the world’s second-largest, across Afghanistan and Pakistan into Fazilka in southern Punjab.

For over three decades, the project has been viewed as a win for all its participants. Landlocked Turkmenistan would discover markets for its gas, cash-strapped Afghanistan and Pakistan would obtain from transit fees, and hydrocarbon-hungry India from reliable, cheap energy.

Even as it fought the Afghan state, the Taliban promised not to attack any TAPI-related development work, knowing it would additionally bring windfall gains.

Since 2016, New Delhi has supported TAPI; government-owned energy giant GAIL holds a 5% stake in the TAPI Pipeline Company, the special-purpose consortium behind the project.

Despite the hype, though, huge questions are hanging over the project—and not just around the obvious problems associated with pushing a pipeline through a war-torn nation. Funding the pipeline is the biggest of them.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has evaluated the cost of constructing the pipeline itself at some $10 billion. Experts consider the actual amount slightly higher, at $14-16 billion, not including upstream investments required for Turkmenistan to generate the promised 33bcm.

Expert Steve Mann has recommended that, in reality, it is very fair to view TAPI as a $40 billion plan.

Image Source

Real Estate

26 Jun 2026

AGM Vijaylaxmi launches Sixty3 W.E. Bizpark

AGM Vijaylaxmi Group has launched Sixty3 W.E. Bizpark, a mixed-use commercial development in Goregaon East, Mumbai. The project includes contemporary office spaces and a high-street retail component designed to support businesses, retailers and professionals.Located along the Western Express Highway, Sixty3 W.E. Bizpark is planned as a G+25-storey commercial tower. It offers office spaces ranging from 545 sq ft to 3,200 sq ft, with a 3.60 metre floor-to-floor height aimed at improving spatial comfort, natural light and operational efficiency.The project features a high-street retail boulevard ..

Manglam Group to Develop Sheraton Hotel in Jaipur

Manglam Group has signed an agreement with Marriott International to develop a Sheraton hotel on the Jaipur–Ajmer Highway in Jaipur. The project will feature 220 keys and is being developed with an investment of around Rs 3.5 billion across more than 300,000 sq ft.The hotel marks Manglam Group’s third collaboration with Marriott International and forms part of its Rs 10 billion hospitality investment roadmap. The agreement was signed by Amrita Gupta, Director, Manglam Group and CEO, Manglam Spa and Resorts, and Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific excluding Greater China, Marriott Interna..

India Warehousing Show 2026 opens at YashoBhoomi

India's warehousing, logistics, and supply chain ecosystem came together as the 15th edition of India Warehousing Show (IWS) 2026 opened at YashoBhoomi, India International Convention & Expo Centre (IICC), Dwarka, New Delhi on June 25 (Thursday). Organised by RX India, the three-day event will run from 25-27 June 2026, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers, and supply chain professionals under one roof. It also features a two-day knowledge conference that will run alongside the exhibition. Inaugurated by Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary - Logistics, DPIIT..