Reluctance of Titas to repair gas line leakages: A recipe for disaster

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd, so far, did nothing to address the issue of leakage in its gas pipelines although it knows that around 6.2 per cent of the 13,138km pipeline network in Dhaka, Gazipur and Mymensingh was leaky.
Titas has some 3,000 km pipeline network across the country.
Titas gas lines have become a death trap for city dwellers due to leakages. According to the fire department, around 30 per cent of the fire accidents in the capital are happening due to gas pipeline leaks. Titas data showed gas leakage was responsible for about 1,000 small and large fire accidents last year.
Around seven months ago, 27 people died and 14 others were injured when a gas leak caused six air conditioners to explode in a mosque in Narayanganj's Fatullah, there was an allegation that the Titas was aware of the leakage, but did not pay any heed to      the mosque committee's complaint.
However, Titas has no exact data on the leakage, they assumed gas has been leaking by the hundreds of uncontrolled valves and leaked pipelines.
"Following the accident, we (Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company) conducted a baseline survey in our distribution areas, we found that 35,000 gas risers out of 5.65 lakh (around 6.2 per cent) were leaky, however, it is not the whole scenario as the study did not cover the whole area," a senior official of the Titas told the Daily Observer on Tuesday.
Ali Iqbal M Nuruallah, Managing Director of Titas Gas, said the company does not have the exact data on leakage in gas distribution lines.
"We are in the tendering process of procuring a leakage detection machine, hopefully we will get it after Eid-ul Fitr, then we will start the detection job first," the Managing Director said.
The company has undertaken a project worth Tk 1,277 crore to replace the very old pipelines in 60 areas of Dhaka. Under the project, 892 kilometres of old pipelines in different parts of the city will be replaced, he added.
Due to poor quality of equipment and unplanned underground installations, pipelines have huge leakages, he said.
However, Titas Gas claimed there were only 208 fire accidents in 2018-2019 against a total of 5,876 gas leakages in its distribution areas.
Currently, the company has around 28.66 lakh consumers who are connected to 12 lakh gas risers.
Officials claimed that illegal connections are also contributing to gas pipeline leakage.
"The pipes they use contain welding leaks and other various types of leaks. As a result, they are always at risk, which could lead to a major accident any time," Titas official said.