Nepal has asked India to supply liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through a cross-border pipeline and assist in relocating Nepal Oil Corporation’s aviation fuel depot currently based in Sinamangal, Kathmandu.
The two proposals were presented during the fifth meeting of the Nepal–India Joint Working Group on Petroleum and Gas, held in New Delhi on December 8, according to Shivaram Pokharel, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, who participated in the meeting.
Nepal already imports a significant share of petroleum products from India via pipeline. Diesel began arriving through the pipeline in 2019, while petrol and kerosene are expected to be supplied through the system within 2025. Pokharel said Nepal has now proposed extending the arrangement to include LPG.
He added that Nepal has also requested India’s support in relocating the aviation fuel depot in Sinamangal. The two countries had reached an agreement a year ago to bring aviation fuel through a pipeline, and the matter was further discussed during the latest meeting, officials said.
The government has already decided to shift the existing depot near Tribhuvan International Airport. Nepal Oil Corporation plans to relocate the facility to Guheshwari and has initiated the process for building a new aviation fuel depot. Nepal has sought India’s cooperation for this purpose.
To supply aviation fuel through pipeline, a new pipeline from Amlekhgunj to Lothar must be completed. Work on this pipeline began a few months ago. The government plans to establish aviation fuel storage at Lothar in Chitwan. As per the agreement reached last year, aviation fuel will be imported through the extended Amlekhgunj–Lothar pipeline.
“The meeting largely agreed to expedite ongoing petroleum pipeline projects and facilitate their implementation,” Pokharel said. “Since Nepal approved pipeline import of aviation fuel last year and a bilateral understanding is already in place, this meeting focused on fast-tracking the process.”
Work is underway to extend petroleum pipelines from Siliguri to Charali in Jhapa and from Amlekhgunj in Bara to Lothar in Chitwan. Pokharel said the meeting concluded with agreements to accelerate construction, resolve obstacles during implementation, and operationalise the pipeline projects.
According to Nepal Oil Corporation, the Siliguri–Charali pipeline will extend 50 kilometres—35 kilometres inside Nepal and 15 kilometres in India. The Amlekhgunj–Lothar pipeline will stretch 62 kilometres and is targeted for completion within three years.
The Cabinet on December 1 had approved the Nepali delegation, led by Pokharel, to attend the meeting. The team returned to Kathmandu on Wednesday.
you need to login before leave a comment
Write a Comment
Comments
No comments yet.