Mumbai: Mumbai-based piped natural gas suppier, Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) the city's premier natural gas supplier expanded its services in South Mumbai with the launching of the second phase of Piped Natural Gas Operations on Sunday, 15 February 2009.

Dr Anil Kakodkar chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and secretary, Department of Atomic Energy inaugurated the event at a function presided by union minister for petroleum and natural gas Murli Deora.

MGL has already invested over Rs.100 crores in development of pipeline network in South Mumbai area and by next year another Rs.50 crores would be invested to create the requisite infrastructure.

In 2002, MGL had commenced operations in South Mumbai by laying its infrastructure in Mahim, Worli, Byculla areas and has at present 25,000 domestic customers.

Apart from connecting households, MGL also connected prestigious establishments like National Association for the Blind, Hinduja Hospital, ITC Hotel and Siddhivinayak Temple. Presently, MGL has commissioned 14 CNG outlets and laid down 250km of steel and PE pipeline network in various areas of South Mumbai.

In the second Phase MGL plans to extend its PNG supply in Peddar Road, Marine Lines, Cuffe Parade, Mantralaya, Colaba areas of South Mumbai and in the third Phase till Navy Nagar.

During the second Phase, MGL has laid its steel pipeline network up to Oval Maidan and has already been connected Victoria Memorial School for the Blind and the Taj Mahal Hotel.

Apart from South Mumbai, MGL will soon be expanding its network to cover the areas of Kalyan, Dombivili, Ambernath-Badlapur, Ulhas Nagar, Bhiwandi and Tarapur in Thane and is also planning to serve some nearby contiguous areas like Panvel, Taloja and Kharghar in the Raigad district. MGL plans to augment its City Gas Distribution infrastructure with an investment of Rs.1500 crore in the next five years.

The event was attended by members of Parliament Priya Dutt,  Mohan Rawle, Annie Shekhar, MLA; petroleum ministry secretary R S Pandey, and additional secretary S Sunderesan, Dr U D Choubey, chairman, MGL and CMD, GAIL; Derek Fisher, president and managing director BG India; P K. Gupta, managing director, Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL); Arun Kumar, executive director, Petroleum Conservation Research Association.