Hyderabad: MEIL bags highest number of areas for city gas network

Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based multi-sector global engineering major Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) has emerged as the successful bidder for the highest number of geographical areas (GA) across the country. Winning the bids for 15 geographical areas, MEIL bagged almost a quarter (24.6 per cent) of the total number of GAs that went under the hammer.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) had called for bidding of City Gas Distribution (CGD) project for 65 Geographical Areas (GA). In response, MEIL bid for 43 GAs. Of the 65 GAs opened for bidding, nobody offered tenders for four GAs, thus bringing down the total number to 61. The MEIL emerged successful bidder in 15 GAs.

The successful bidders who were awarded the parcels under the City Gas Distribution (CGD) project will have to construct city gate station or mother stations, lay the main pipeline and distribution pipelines and install CNG stations.

The CGD aims at promoting green fuel (natural gas) like Piped Natural Gas (PNG) for households and industries (for domestic or industrial consumption) and also Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) used as fuel for vehicles and the automobile industry.

It may be recalled that MEIL was previously awarded three GAs under tenth bidding of CGD. They were districts of Tumkur and Belgaum (Karnataka), Krishna (AP) and Nalgonda, Warangal, Ranga Reddy and Khammam (Telangana).

As many as 32 CNG stations became operational in three States under the brand — Megha Gas. The MEIL had participated in previous city gas distribution bidding round no 5 & 10. It won 7 GAs in that round. In the previous bidding (round 10), the PNGRB has awarded 228 GAs — which will have operations in 27 States and UTs, covering approximately 53 per cent of the country's geographical area and 70 per cent of its population.