UP to convert highways into green energy corridors

Virendra Singh Rawat

Lucknow / Dec 30, 2020

The Uttar Pradesh government will convert major highways and expressways into green energy corridors to promote the use of cleaner fuel in the state transport sector.

In this regard, UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has now earmarked a land parcel at Bilhaur in Kanpur district on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway for the corridor.

The state urban development department is planning to operate 1,525 CNG buses in 15 major cities of UP, while about 37 gas companies have been authorised for the city gas distribution (CGD) in different regions of the state.

Besides, the government has directed major industrial enclaves including NOIDA, Greater Noida, Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) etc to expedite setting up of piped natural gas (PNG) network for providing green fuel to the industries.

According to UP industrial development minister Satish Mahana, this would help not only in ensuring environmental protection, but also enable safe fuel supply to the industrial units along with mitigating pressure on transportation traffic.

The decision has been taken in view of the rapid industrial growth and investment in the state manufacturing sector, apart from proactively conserving environment by promoting the use of green fuel.

The directive to support natural gas companies in developing the PNG network in the state industrial enclave have been issued to Noida, Greater Noida, UP State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA), YEIDA, Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority (GIDA), Satharia Industrial Development Authority (SIDA) and Lucknow Industrial Development Authority (LIDA).

“In addition to being safe, the PNG proves to be economical as well due to savings on storage and transportation expenses,” additional chief secretary, industrial development Alok Kumar noted.

The state government had recently directed the CEOs of the industrial development authorities to implement the ‘Dig Rand Restore’ policy of the urban development department in compliance of the Petroleum Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) directives for developing CGD network.

Under the policy, permission has been given to lay the underground gas pipelines by using such technology that does not affect or interrupt traffic and normal activities.

“To promote pollution-free fuel in vehicles for transportation, UPSIDA has been instructed to provide support to the CGD licensees for setting up facilities for the supply of CNG under the plan to convert major highways of the state into green energy corridors,” Kumar informed.