Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
In the next four months, certain localities in the city will start receiving piped (PNG) gas supply, claimed MP Dr Bhagwat Karad during a press conference on Monday.
He said that by September 2025, some parts of the city will have access to domestic gas through pipelines. A meeting was held at the District Collector’s office to discuss topics including the gas pipeline and distribution, a tunnel at Autram Ghat, and the proposed memorial for Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at Bungalow Nos. 9 and 10 in the Cantonment area, as well as tourism development. Following the meeting, Dr. Karad informed that a project is underway to supply gas via pipelines to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city and the nearby industrial zones. The pipeline from Shrigonda to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is nearly complete.
In the first phase, gas will be supplied to 10,000 homes across 4 zones (out of 10 zones) of the city by September 2025. BPCL has set a target to eventually provide piped gas to 2.5 lakh households out of the city's population of approximately 7 lakh.
BPCL officials including Manager Sangharsh G. Ramamohan, Akshay Wadhwa, and Manoj Jadhav, along with officers from other departments, were present at the meeting. Ahilyanagar’s District Collector Dr. Pankaj Ashiya joined the meeting online.
DPR for tunnel at Autram Ghat
A 5.6 km long tunnel is planned on NH-52 at Autram Ghat. A meeting was held last month regarding constructing an underground route for rail and highway transport. Although it was suggested that both the Railways and the National Highways Department prepare separate project reports, the high cost involved has led to considerations of having NHAI undertake the tunnel work alone, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,600 crore, said Dr. Karad.
Proposal for Dr Ambedkar Memorial in Cantonment
A proposal has been submitted to the state government to establish a memorial at Bungalows No. 9 and 10, where Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar once stayed, in the Cantonment area.
Permission has already been obtained from the Cantonment Board for Bungalow No. 9. Efforts are ongoing to acquire Bungalow No. 10, which currently falls under the Ministry of Defence. The plan includes a library, a study centre, and an auditorium at the memorial site.
Besides, discussions were held regarding the development of Maloji Raje Gadhi, a Shahaji Raje Memorial, and the Ahilyadevi Kund near the Grishneshwar Temple area, in Ellora.