Ranchi, Aug 22 (IANS): Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will launch CNG supply stations in Ranchi on Friday.

"The Union minister will launch the CNG stations at Madhuvan Bihar and Kakuri of Ranchi on Friday along with Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda," said K.B. Singh, Executive Director of GAIL, eastern region.

"Initially the natural gas will reach in special containers which will be transported by road from Patna. Later natural gas will be supplied through Jamshedpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dharama natural gas pipeline popularly known as Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga. The pipeline under construction will be completed by December 2020."

"In the coming years, 22 CNG stations will be commissioned at Ranchi and Jamshedpur in Jharkhand with GAIL gas supply to 10.46 lakh households. To supply CNG to over 1.25 lakh vehicles and piped natural gas, the City Gas Distribution (CGD) project are being taken up along with Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga pipeline.

"In Jharkhand, the natural gas pipeline will be construicted at a cost of Rs 4,366 crore and it will have a length of 551 kms covering 12 districts," said Singh.