PESHAWAR - A route survey and detailed engineering and feasibility studies for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline will begin in Pakistan this month, a news report said on Thursday. 
The German firm ILF has been granted the project management consultant (PMC) contract by the TAPI Company, which will operate the long-awaited pipeline.
“A team from Turkmenistan will reach Islamabad on February 14 to begin work on the route survey, engineering and feasibility study to implement the project,” a government official was quoted as saying.
The Express Tribune reported the team would initiate work in Pakistan before proceeding to Afghanistan.
Inter State Gas Systems Managing Director Mobin Saulat told the newspaper that pipeline construction and gas-field development was ongoing at a fast clip in Turkmenistan.
A $10-billion investment agreement for the pipeline has been inked to undertake activities, update the feasibility study and finalise the route in Afghanistan. The project is designed reduce energy deficiency in South Asia.
Under the agreement, Turkmenistan will invest $25 billion in delivering 3.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. A sum of $15 billion will be invested in developing the gas field, with $10 billion being poured into laying the 1,680 km pipeline. (Pajhwok)