Motihari-Amlekhganj pipeline explained

Motihari-Amlekhganj Oil Pipeline
Type:Oil Pipeline
Country:India, Nepal
Partners:Indian Oil Corporation
Nepal Oil Corporation
Length Km:69
Discharge:2 million tonnes per year
Direction:South–North
Start:Motihari
Finish:Amlekhganj

Motihari-Amlekhgunj pipeline is a 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. It has an annual capacity of two million metric tonn.[2]

History

The pipeline was first proposed in 1996. An agreement was reached between the NOC and IOC in 2004. 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.[3] [4]

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.[5]

The project was constructed in 15 months, though the actual duration allocated was 30 months.[6]

Features of pipeline

Notes and References

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