GAIL India Ltd, a state-owned public utility under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, is to set up a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Green Corridor between New Delhi and Mumbai in 12-18 months to facilitate vehicle refueling. The announcement, delivered as a precursor to ANGVA 2013 by Mr. B C Tripathi, CMD, proposes a green highway from Jhalandhar/Ludhiana to Bangalore. Once implemented, the increased availability of CNG refuelling stations is expected to encourage significant adoption of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) for inland transportation.
   This corridor will benefit eight states viz. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana & Punjab. Mr. Tripathi explained the green corridor concept calls for the installation of CNG outlets at regular intervals along the highways.
   The project is expected to be carried out through GAIL subsidiaries, including GAIL Gas Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Maharatna GAIL (India) Limited and principal promoter of ANGVA 2013.
   Currently, the CNG network is generally located within the municipal limits of major cities such as Delhi, Agra, Indore and Mumbai.
   Mr Tripathi said the Delhi-Mumbai corridor should be ready in one to one and half years. Extending the infrastructure highway from Mumbai to Bangalore may take four-five years.
   ANGVA 2013 was officially opened November 27 by Mr. Oscar Fernandes, Union Cabinet Minister for Transport, Road and Highways, Government of India, accompanied by Mr. Tripathi and other dignitaries.