The Nalanda University in Rajgir will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet the needs of the residential staff and students once the campus is fully ready.

The university has approached the petroleum ministry to extend the Varanasi-Haldia-Barauni gas pipeline up to Rajgir.

Nalanda University vice-chancellor Sunaina Singh said: 'The university has approached the Gas Authority of India Limited (Gail), seeking a gas pipeline connection at Nalanda University. We have come to know that gas pipeline has reached up to Silao in Nalanda. Our request is to connect Rajgir with the ambitious project.'

The VC said LNG was the best way to provide clean energy. 'If the petroleum ministry agrees with our proposal to provide gas connection to Nalanda University, not just the university but entire Rajgir will benefit,' he said.

The petroleum ministry, which is laying the pipeline, aims at providing piped gas to Patna, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Varanasi and Calcutta under the Varanasi-Barauni-Haldia gas pipeline project.

K.B. Singh, the director of Gail eastern zone, said from Ranchi: 'Under the project, gas connection has to reach seven cities. If other cities or towns are to be covered, Gail will issue tenders to lay branch terminal gas pipeline connections. In case of Rajgir too, Gail will issue a tender to lay the pipeline connection.'

Over 200km of pipeline would be laid in Bihar in the first phase, from Jagdishpur-Haldia. The project entails laying 2,000km of pipeline to touch Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal at a cost of Rs 12,000 crore.

The project has three sections in its first phase - Dobhi-Silao (83km), Silao-Naubatpur (65km) and Silao-Barauni (80km) in Bihar.

The pipeline is laid a metre beneath the topsoil, allowing the landowner to use it once the laying work is over. The landowner, however, is not allowed to undertake construction of permanent structures on land through which the pipeline passes.

Unlike other projects in which land is acquired in totality, gas pipeline projects have a different concept. Apart from getting a lump sum payment for allowing use of land, landowners are also paid compensation for crop damage in case standing crop is damaged because of pipeline laying work.