Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 23
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
The 25th meeting of the Governing Committee on Turkmenistan—Afghanistan—Pakistan—India (TAPI) gas pipeline construction project was held in Mary city of Turkmenistan, Turkmen Oil and Gas Complex said in a message.
“Delegations of member-countries and representatives of Asian Development Bank participated in the meeting. A number of topics concerning the technical and financial points of the cooperation were discussed,” the report said.
The meeting was chaired by Deputy Chairman of Turkmen Cabinet of Ministers Maksat Babayev. India was represented by Minister of State for External Affairs Mobashar Jawed Akbar, Pakistani side – by Minister of State for Petroleum Jam Kamal Khan, Afghani side – by Minister of Mines and Petroleum Nargis Nehan. Asian Development Bank was represented by Director General of Central and West Asia Department Werner Liepach.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov underlined special importance of the TAPI transnational gas pipeline.
The head of state noted that the pipeline will become the most important link in modern Turkmen gas infrastructure that is being developed in accordance with the evergrowing demands of various spheres of the national economy and worldwide demand on energy supply.
Construction of the Turkmen section of the TAPI gas pipeline began in December 2015. The design capacity of TAPI reaches 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Construction of the Afghan section of the TAPI gas pipeline will start on Feb. 23. The pipeline is scheduled to run along the Kandahar-Herat Highway in western Afghanistan, and further through the cities of Quetta and Multan in Pakistan. The pipeline’s route will end in the Indian city of Fazilka.
The total length of the TAPI pipeline will be 1,814 kilometers - a 214-kilometer section of the pipeline will run through Turkmenistan, a 774-kilometer section will run through Afghanistan and an 826-kilometer section will go through Pakistan.