New Delhi: The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on Friday inaugurated the capacity augmentation project of the Numaligarh–Siliguri Product Pipeline (NSPL) of Oil India Limited during a public meeting in Guwahati.

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The 654-km long cross-country multi-product pipeline connects Numaligarh in Assam with Siliguri in West Bengal. Originally designed to handle a capacity of 1.72 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), the pipeline’s capacity has now been enhanced to 5.5 MMTPA.

The augmentation supports the expansion of the Numaligarh Refinery Limited from 3.0 MMTPA to 9.0 MMTPA as part of the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for North-East initiative of the Government of India.

According to the company, the capacity enhancement was achieved through upgrades to existing infrastructure, including conversion of pigging stations at Sekoni, Guwahati, Bongaigaon and Madarihat into intermediate pumping stations. Pumping facilities at the Numaligarh dispatch terminal were also augmented, while infrastructure at the Siliguri receipt terminal was upgraded to improve operational efficiency and safety.

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Implemented as a brownfield project, the augmentation has been completed at a cost of about Rs 750 crore against the approved outlay of Rs 860 crore, resulting in significant cost savings through optimal use of existing assets.

During the execution phase, the project generated around 4.1 million man-hours of employment over more than three years across Assam and West Bengal.

The project is expected to strengthen petroleum product transportation infrastructure in the North-Eastern region and contribute to enhancing India’s energy security, the company said.

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