SNGPL executes projects to improve gas supply in Mardan region

PESHAWAR: A number of developmental projects are underway in Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) Mardan region to provide sufficient gas to over 300,000 consumers, officials said on Wednesday.

“The region was established in January 2017 with the aim to facilitate the consumers of Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Malakand, Swat and Lower Dir and to overcome the gas losses and to bring further efficiency in managing various issues. The number of consumers in the region has increased from 190,000 in July 2017 to 300,000 till December 2021,” said regional manager SNGPL Mardan, Waqasullah Khan Shinwari.

Previously, Peshawar region was catering to the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (except Hazara Division), which entailed 750,000 consumers; so the division of Mardan region was not only operationally feasible but also to accelerate developmental works in the area.

“Since its establishment, Mardan Region has focused on two major objectives, facilitation of all existing and potential consumers and reduction of gas losses, coupled with continuous improvement in service delivery,” said the regional manager.

“In order to address the issue of low pressure, SNGPL’s Mardan Region envisaged a comprehensive gas network augmentation plan, work on which was started in 2018-19. This plan is going to cost Rs1.2 billion, half of which has already been completed,” said Waqas. He said an eight inch diameter pipeline having length of 5.85 kilometer had been laid on Nowshera Road Mardan for the areas of Mohabbatabad, Toru, Mayar, Rashakai, Ghaladher, Surkh Dheri, Sheikh Maltoon Town and other adjoining villages on Nowshera Road, Mardan, which have around 8,000 consumers.

The official said that another eight Inch diameter pipeline having length of 11 KM has been laid on Malakand Road Towards Dargai while 10-inch diameter pipeline having length of 7.28 KM laid in Nowshera Kalan.

He added that an eight inch diameter pipeline having length of 6.95 KM laid on GT Road Towards Wattar Surya Khel Nowshera, six inch diameter pipeline having length of 4.6 KM laid on GT Road in Akora Khattak and 12-inch diameter pipeline having length of 6.25 KM laid in Mingora Swat.

He said some of the pipeline networks laid in the Mardan Region dated back to 1970s when the Government of Pakistan had selected Agro-based industries for provision of gas transmission pipeline networks.

The high water table in villages and areas on the banks of River Kabul and rain/fed water courses caused our pipeline network to rust and develop leakages, earlier than the end of the designed life cycle of gas pipelines, he said.

“Replacement of the pipeline network is one of the most tedious but at the same time most rewarding activities to meet our objectives. Mardan Region has replaced 200 kilometers of old leaking lines in the past four years,” said Waqas.

He added in Mardan Region, especially in Mardan city and in Nowshera, domestic meter tampering was on the rise, which has been dealt effectively to reduce the line losses.