Company has to pay Rs. 1,857 per metre for roads dug up; 5,000-metre pipeline in first phase

Mysore/Mysuru: Despite stiff opposition from a section of elected representatives and Corporators, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has accorded permission to implement the ambitious project of procuring cooking gas through pipelines through Piped Natural Gas (PNG) that was announced in September last year.

The list of demands was published on May 11 by the MCC Deputy Commissioner (Development) and has asked AG&P Pratham India City Gas Company, the project implementors,  to pay Rs. 1,23,84,800 including Rs. 16,07,13,500 as fee. The letter has been despatched to the company office at Kuvempunagar. The company will lay pipelines in the first phase in 43 MCC Wards and the total distance will be 5,000 metres. The company has to pay Rs. 1,857 per metre and an additional fee of Rs. 92,85,000, an inspection fee of Rs. 5 lakh, a security deposit of Rs. 9,28,500, 18 percent GST of Rs. 16,71,300 and Rs. 1,07,13,500 that has to be paid to the MCC. In all, the company has to pay Rs. 1,23,84,800 to the MCC to implement the project.

Trenches will be dug to lay the pipelines and the requisition was submitted to the MCC by the company on May 9 this year. The MCC has fixed the road-cutting fees as per the guidelines of the State Government and is also levying inspection fees as per norms.

MCC Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy told Star of Mysore that the Council has approved the project at its meeting on Apr. 29 and the announcement was made by the Mayor (in-charge). “As the Council has approved the project, we have to issue the list of demands and as such, the same has been issued,” he said.

In-Charge Mayor Sunanda Palanetra said that she was happy that the project was approved and will begin implementation during her term. “Yes, there was opposition from the elected representatives but the Council has passed a resolution in this regard. It is a people-friendly project and it will be implemented in phases,” she said.

MP Pratap Simha, who is a strong advocate of the project welcomed the MCC approval and said “We need to change as per the needs of the people and just to oppose a project for the sake of opposing it is not acceptable. People are intelligent and they will make a wise decision. The PNG project is eco-friendly, public-friendly and also secure. I am happy that the project is seeing the light of the day,” the MP said.