Bengaluru : GAIL Gas Limited has asked all civic agencies to contact them before digging the places closer to their pipeline to avoid disastrous gas leaks.

At a workshop on city gas distribution, organised to spread awareness on safety, the company has urged government agencies like BMRCL, BBMP, BWSSB, BESCOM and police to either contact or inform them before taking up the excavation works closer to their pipeline.

Inaugurating the event, city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said every agency should take precautions before carrying out works to ensure a safe network of gas pipelines. He also asked the police and the GAIL Gas to swiftly respond to emergency calls. Patrollers should wear distinctive jackets with emergency numbers and other details, Rao said.

He assured to simplify procedures for filing police complaints by GAIL in the event of a gas leak and promised immediate action in such cases.

The workshop discussed the kind of safety measures police should take during emergency excavations and restoration of the gas pipelines. It asked civic agencies to contact their control rooms before excavation close to a pipe network, even if they had installed safety marks. It also asked the agencies to share contact numbers to reach them before the excavation.

GAIL said it has given piped gas connection to 40,000 households, 81 industries, 103 businesses and 16 CNG Stations in the city. It has gas pipeline connectivity of over 1000 kilometres in Bengaluru Urban and Rural.

GAIL Executive Director (Southern Region P Murugesan and GAIL Gas Bengaluru’s Chief General Manager Vivek Wathodkar took part in the event. Deputy Commissioners of Police of a few zones attended the workshop along with senior GAIL and GAIL Gas officials.