kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata | July 30 : Salt Lake residents are set to receive a major boost in urban infrastructure and clean energy services, with the area's first 24-hour Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) station expected to become operational before the upcoming Durga Puja. At the same time, Bengal Gas Company Limited (BGCL) is accelerating work to provide Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections to nearly 26,000 households across Salt Lake's Sectors I, II, and III over the next one-and-a-half to two years.

According to company sources, construction of the new CNG station in the FF Block area, located between Indira Bhavan (now Nazrul Bhavan) and the Irrigation Bhavan, is in its final phase. Once operational, the station will provide round-the-clock CNG services, significantly improving fuel accessibility for motorists in Salt Lake and surrounding areas.

The new facility is expected to benefit drivers of CNG-powered auto-rickshaws, taxis, private vehicles, and buses, who currently have to travel to other parts of the city to refuel. Officials believe the station will reduce travel time, ease congestion at existing fuel stations, and promote the wider adoption of cleaner transportation fuels.

At present, 24-hour CNG refuelling facilities are available in Rajarhat–New Town, Kasba, Garia, Sinthee More, Kankurgachi, and Kalyani. The addition of a dedicated station in Salt Lake is expected to address a long-standing demand from local commuters and commercial vehicle operators.

Alongside the CNG project, Bengal Gas Company Limited is also making rapid progress on its ambitious plan to bring piped natural gas directly to residential households in Salt Lake. Under the project, residents of Wards 29 to 40 of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, covering Sectors I, II, and III, will receive PNG connections in a phased manner.

The company aims to connect approximately 26,000 households within the next two years, enabling families to use natural gas supplied through underground pipelines instead of conventional LPG cylinders. The initiative is expected to provide safer, more convenient, and uninterrupted cooking gas services while reducing dependence on cylinder deliveries.

Anupam Mukhopadhyay, Chief Executive Officer of Bengal Gas Company Limited, said that the organisation plans to extend PNG connectivity to every household in Salt Lake within the next one-and-a-half to two years. He also outlined the company's broader expansion strategy, stating that over the next five years, nearly five lakh households in Rajarhat, Barasat, Madhyamgram, and Rajpur-Sonarpur are expected to receive PNG connections as part of the network expansion programme.

Despite the steady progress, officials acknowledged that the project continues to face certain administrative challenges. One of the major hurdles involves obtaining the necessary approvals from the Airports Authority of India for laying pipelines across an approximately three-kilometre stretch near Airport Gate No. 1.

Company officials said that pipeline installation in this section has been delayed because the required permissions are still pending. They expressed confidence that once the clearance is granted, the remaining pipeline work can be completed quickly, allowing uninterrupted gas supply across the planned network.

The company pointed out that its PNG model has already demonstrated success in Kalyani in Nadia district, where more than 100 households are already using piped natural gas on a regular basis. Encouraged by the positive response and operational experience gained there, Bengal Gas Company Limited is now working to implement the project efficiently in Salt Lake and subsequently expand it to other parts of the Kolkata metropolitan region.

The twin initiatives of launching a 24-hour CNG station and expanding PNG connectivity are expected to play a significant role in strengthening the city's clean energy infrastructure. By improving access to environmentally friendly fuel for both transportation and households, the projects are expected to enhance convenience for residents while supporting broader efforts to promote sustainable urban development and reduce dependence on conventional fossil fuels.