Nagar Reporter: KGDCL’s Prepaid Meter project cost rises by Tk 50 crore due to a rise in the dollar price. Earlier, the cost of this project was estimated at Tk 241 crore. Currently, it has increased to 291 crore. Recently, KGDCL signed an agreement with a Japanese contractor. KGDCL will implement the project with its own funding. 1 lakh prepaid meters will be installed under this project.
The project officials said that after getting approval on May 18, 2021, the project director was appointed on July 31 of the same year. On May 9, 2022, the contract was executed with the project consultancy firm. Subsequently, tenders were issued for the appointment of contractors for the project. Since it is not possible to appoint a contractor, a re-tender is given. Finally, a Japanese firm was approved as the contractor. An agreement has recently been signed with the company. The implementation period of the project has been extended by two years until June 2025. 1 lakh meters will be installed under this project. If these meters are installed, a residential customer will save 20 cubic meters of gas per meter per month. The customer will also save money equivalent to gas.
In the first phase, 60,000 residential meters have been installed in Chittagong. Those concerned said that it has been seen that a lot of gas is being saved due to the use of prepaid meters. And customers are also spending 400 to 600 rupees per month. But 1 thousand 80 taka has to be paid for two stoves in non-meter. As a result, the demand for pre-paid meters among residential customers has increased. Before the second project started, 87,000 applications were received for the installation of pre-paid meters.
Officials said that at present, Karnaphuli Gas Company is using about 60 million cubic feet of gas per day for residential customers. As a result, if all the customers are brought under the prepaid meter, a lot of gas will be saved. Project stakeholders said that all residential customers will be brought under prepaid meters.
