Adani Group and GAIL (India) have emerged top winners of the ninth City Gas Distribution bid rounds through subsidiaries and joint ventures. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board declared the winners of 48 geographical areas, out of 86 put up for the bid.

Adani got 11 geographical areas (six alone and five through its joint venture with Indian Oil Corporation — IndianOil-Adani Gas Pvt Ltd).

GAIL too got 11 geographical areas (three alone, two in a consortium with Assam Gas Company Ltd and Oil India, and remaining six through joint ventures —Tripura Natural Gas Company Ltd, Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd, Indraprastha Gas Ltd and Green Gas Ltd.

Interestingly, two areas have been bagged by foreign-based companies. The rights for developing the city gas network in Begusarai district of Bihar has been bagged by Singapore-registered Think Gas Investments PTE Ltd. A consortium of AG&P LNG Marketing Pte Ltd & Atlantic Gulf & Pacific was the winner for the network in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.

An investment of about ₹70,000 crore is expected in developing the 86 areas that have been offered.

Bharat Gas Resources Ltd, a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum and Torrent Gas Private Ltd, emerged as the winner for six areas. On its own, Indian Oil Corporation bagged four areas.

Among private companies, Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd won the rights for three areas. Others who won include IRM Energy Pvt Ltd, a group company of Cadila Pharmaceuticals, for Diu and Gir Somnath district areas under the Union Territory of Daman & Diu and Gujarat.

Unison Enviro Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of highway major Ashoka Buildcon, bagged the contract for Latur and Osamanabad districts in Maharashtra.

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