Gas supply in Mymensingh and Netrokona districts has been severely disrupted since Monday night following a pipe rupture in the Titas Gas Transmission Line.
The disruption, caused by a pipe rupture during construction work by a Chinese company in Trishal, Mymensingh, has left approximately 86,000 residential consumers without gas, along with impacting numerous commercial establishments, CNG stations, and industrial units.
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The incident occurred during the construction of piling work for a project on illegally occupied land near Minister Hi-Tech Park in Narayanpur village in Amirabari Union.
According to Kazi Mohammad Saidul Hasan, Deputy Manager (Operation) of Titas Gas and Distribution Company in Mymensingh, the 12-inch diameter transmission line suffered damage due to the construction activities.
Himton Pal, Manager (Operation) at Titash Gas and Distribution Company, said that the damaged section of the pipeline is being carefully removed using excavators after ensuring complete depressurization of the gas line for safety reasons. Once the damaged part is replaced and integrity tests are successfully conducted, normal gas supply operations are expected to resume, he said.
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Meanwhile, the gas shortage has led to significant hardships for residents, especially in cooking meals. Many have been forced to rely on alternatives such as purchasing ready-to-eat food items like bread, biryani, and snacks from local hotels and eateries using LP gas. The situation has caused an unusual rush at eateries during meal times .
The disruption has also affected CNG stations and drivers who have had to switch to using petrol due to the unavailability of gas. This has resulted in long queues at petrol stations across the affected areas.
Suranjit Kumar De, Regional Sales Manager of Titas in Mymensingh, mentioned that while efforts are ongoing, there is an expectation that gas supply could be normalized by 10pm on Tuesday.
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The affected areas include Mymensingh, Valuka, Muktagacha, Shambhuganj, and Netrokona, impacting a wide range of consumers and industrial operations, affecting 86,000 residential consumers, 250 commercial consumers, 14 CNG pumps, and over a hundred industrial units.
The financial implications of the disruption are yet to be fully assessed.