Gas supply restored as pipeline thru’ Turag repaired

Trackback URL

Download PDF

Gas supply in Ashulia and Aminbazar areas was restored yesterday night after the Titas Gas authorities repaired the damaged underwater gas pipeline on the bed of River Turag at Aminbazar in Savar.

Titas Gas officials with the help of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) divers conducted restoration work of the gas pipeline till 7:30pm and restored gas supply at about 8:30pm.

But the restoration tasks of Palli Bidyut lines are yet to begin.

Any assessment of the loss wrought by the incident is yet to be made as the personnel of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd remain busy in repairing the pipeline.

Engineer Mohammad Aminur Rahman, director (Operation) of the company, said, “We are yet to assess the loss. But it is our responsibility and we shall do that after restoring gas supply.”

Director (Admin) Engineer Mohammad Aminur Rahman said, “The trawler is responsible for damaging the pipeline and we are thinking of taking actions in this regard.”

“Since we do not have divers, we requested the FSCD to provide us with divers for conducting repairing work of the damaged pipeline”, he said.

Nineteen divers of Savar branch of FSCD carried out the repair work under instructions of Titas Gas engineers.

Joinal Abedin, manager of Savar branch of Titas Gas, told the journalists that the divers and engineers worked on the ruptured line for several hours on Thursday.

They could not continue the work at night due to unavailability of electricity. But it resumed at 8:00am yesterday, he added.

Titas Gas officials primarily found out that the pipeline went up in flames as the propeller of the vessel hit the pipeline, which goes 12 feet under water, damaging a portion of it. The damaged portion was measured at about six to eight inches in diameter.

Sources said Nayarhat-bound vessel MB Messrs Sharmin Shipping Lines was heavily loaded with sand when it hit the pipeline.

The lower part of the vessel was also damaged and it got stranded after hitting the pipeline.

Police seized the vessel soon after the accident but released it yesterday.

Savar police filed a general diary in this connection.

The Tiatas Gas authorities said they are thinking of filing a case.

A portion of the underwater gas pipeline on the bed of River Turag went up in flames at Aminbazar in Savar on Thursday as the lower part of the cargo vessel pierced through it.

The fire died down at around 1:00pm after the Titas Gas authorities turned off the supply of gas through the pipeline from Ashulia to Aminbazar.

Gas transmission in parts of the capital was disrupted following the accident.

The colossal force of gas coming out through the damaged portion of the pipeline hit the 1.33-lakh KV live electric wires running above the river. Restoration works of the damaged electric line are yet to begin.

Leave a Reply