Visakhapatnam - LNG Bharat Private Ltd is setting up a floating LNG terminal with a capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum at Krishnapatnam port in Nellore district and the public hearing for the project was conducted on Tuesday in the vicinity of the port, according to J. Murthy, the Managing Director.

He said in a statement on Tuesday that the company had taken 120 acres of land from the port and leased a berth for setting up the terminal and a pipeline would also be laid from Krishnapatnam to Ennore in Tamil Nadu, via Sullurupeta and Sri City. The total project cost, including the terminal and the pipeline, would be Rs 1400 crores, he said.

He said Vimtas Labs, Hyderabad, had prepared the environmental impact assessment report. "We are expecting the environmental clearance in two months time and we hope to achieve financial closure by April. The construction may commence in May and the project is scheduled to be completed by December, 2017," he said.

He said another company - Gas Transmission India Ltd - had been floated to take up the pipeline work from Krishnapatnam to Ennore. He said direct employment during the construction period may be around 200 and later 50 or so. But the project would generate a lot of indirect employment in Nellore and Chittoor districts of AP as well as neighbouring Tamil Nadu, as gas would be available aplenty and many gas-based projects would come up in the two states.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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