Motihari-Amlekhganj pipeline

Motihari-Amlekhganj Oil Pipeline
Location
CountryIndia, Nepal
General directionSouth–North
FromMotihari
ToAmlekhganj
General information
TypeOil Pipeline
PartnersIndian Oil Corporation
Nepal Oil Corporation
Technical information
Length69 km (43 mi)
Maximum discharge2 million tonnes per year
Motihari-Amlekhganj pipeline
Pipeline route

Motihari-Amlekhgunj pipeline is a 69 km (43 mi) long trans-border petrolium pipeline between Amlekhgunj Oil Depot in Parsa of Nepal and Motihari of India. This pipeline transports petroleum from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC).[1] It is also the first ever trans-national pipeline in the Indian subcontinent.[2] It has an annual capacity of two million metric tonn.[3]

History

The pipeline was first proposed in 1996.[4] An agreement was reached between the NOC and IOC in 2004.[5] The project finally was set for construction after the visit of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to Kathmandu in 2014. Both governments inked an agreement to execute the project in August 2015. However, the project construction was delayed due to the 2015 earthquake in Nepal and supply obstruction along the southern border. The project construction works finally began in April 2018 and were completed in April 2020. The pipeline was jointly inaugurated by the Prime ministers of India and Nepal on 10 September 2019.[6][7]

The pipeline displaces the need to carry petroleum products from India to Nepal by tankers that was done since 1973. The pipeline is expected to save NPR 2 billion annually on transportation.[4]

The project was constructed in 15 months, though the actual duration allocated was 30 months.[2]

Features of pipeline

  • 32.25 km (20.04 mi) of the pipeline lies in Indian territory (from Raxaul to Motihari) and the 37.25 km (23.15 mi) in Nepal from Raxaul to Amlekhgunj[5]
  • About 6,500 large trees and about 4,000 small trees were cut off in the Parsa National Park area for the construction of the pipeline.[5]

References

  1. ^ Roche, Elizabeth (11 Sep 2019). "Cross-border oil pipeline to boost India, Nepal relations". LiveMint. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Motihari-Amlekhganj oil pipeline constructed in "record time": PM". The Hindu. New Delhi. 2019-09-10. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  3. ^ "Motihari-Amlekhgunj Pipeline". Drishti IAS. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  4. ^ a b "India, Nepal inaugurate Motihari-Amlekhgunj oil pipeline". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 2019-09-10. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  5. ^ a b c Setopati, Setopati. "Motihari-Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline project to come into operation from mid-April onward". Setopati. Retrieved 2021-02-02.
  6. ^ "Narendra Modi inaugurates historic Indo-Nepal petroleum pipeline". India Today. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  7. ^ "Inauguration of Motihari-Amlekhganj (Nepal) pipeline by PM and PM Oli of Nepal". Retrieved 2021-02-02.