New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS) State-run gas utility GAIL Thursday said it has placed orders worth Rs.677 crore for laying a gas pipeline from Dabhol in Maharashtra to Bangalore in Karnataka.

‘The construction work will start by November 2010 and the pipeline will be ready by March 2012. The gas supplies are expected to begin by June 2012,’ GAIL said in a statement.

According to the company, the project has been awarded to companies like Punj Lyod, which will lay seven spreads of the line out of a total 10.

Two spreads will be laid by the KSS-KSSIIPI consortium. Advance Stimul consortium will lay one spread.

The statement said the company has placed orders worth
Rs.2,000 crore in the last three months for buying pipelines and laying operations for the project.

The Dabhol-Bangalore pipeline is a 1,400-km gas transmission project which was approved by the company’s board in June 2009 at an estimated cost of Rs.5,000 crore.

After completion, the pipeline would have a transmission capacity of 16 million standard cubic feet per day (MMMSCMD).