Thiruvananthapuram: The ambitious City Gas project in the state capital has come to a standstill, with pipeline-laying activities being suspended for a month following a public works department (PWD) directive over alleged violations of road-cutting norms.The halt has affected the expansion of the city’s piped natural gas (PNG) network, with around 2,000 prospective domestic consumers and more than 20 commercial establishments awaiting connections.PWD intervened after finding that the project executing agency allegedly undertook road-cutting works at several locations without following the prescribed procedures. It subsequently issued a notice, directing the agency to stop work.PWD chief engineer (roads) Ajith Ramachandran told TOI that the action was taken after violations of the department’s established rules and technical norms were noticed during project execution. “Agencies undertaking utility works on PWD roads are required to consult the department officials concerned before cutting roads,” he said. The locations where excavations can be done must be examined in consultation with the department to ensure that road infrastructure isn’t damaged and its durability isn’t compromised, he added.When TOI tried contacting officials associated with the City Gas project, they were unavailable for comment.PWD has suspended permissions for pipeline-laying activities under City Gas distribution projects since Sept 22. Processing of fresh applications seeking road-cutting permissions has also been kept on hold.The suspension has affected not only the expansion of the network but also certain pipeline-related rectification works. Repair works required to address pipeline damage have reportedly faced delays due to pending permissions.The latest suspension is likely to affect the next phase of expansion. The interruption also raises questions about the timelines for expanding PNG connectivity in the city, as the network requires coordinated excavation, installation and restoration work across multiple road stretches. While adherence to road-cutting regulations is essential to protect public infrastructure, prolonged delays in granting permissions could hold up the delivery of connections to waiting consumers.The disruption comes when the city has made considerable progress in developing its gas distribution infrastructure. So far, around 700km of pipelines have been laid across Thiruvananthapuram, providing PNG connections to nearly 28,000 domestic consumers. The project has established 25 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in the city, strengthening the availability of cleaner fuel for the transport sector.Besides household connections, the network supplies natural gas to major industrial establishments, including Travancore Titanium Products Ltd. Several major hotels, restaurants and hospitals in the city have also been connected to the network, making City Gas an important component of the city’s energy infrastructure.
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