Titas resumes supply, gas pressure to improve gradually

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution PLC has resumed gas supply to pipelines in the Mirpur Road area after replacing a ruptured valve.

However, it may take several more hours for low pressure conditions to ease, with normal flow expected to return gradually as pressure builds up.

The company said this in a statement issued on Saturday afternoon.

Valves regulate the flow of pipeline gas and allow supply to be increased or reduced when necessary. They are installed at specific points along distribution lines.

Dhaka has been facing a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage for the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, since a pipeline leak in Aminbazar on 4 January, residents have been receiving gas at low pressure for about a week, causing widespread inconvenience.

The situation worsened again on Saturday following a fresh incident. In a morning notice, Titas said a four-inch valve burst in front of Ganabhaban on Mirpur Road, creating a leak.

Several valves had to be shut to carry out repairs, leading to a further drop in pressure along the distribution line.

As a result, severe low pressure has affected Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Shyamoli, New Market, Hazaribagh, Gabtoli and adjacent areas.

Titas sources said that although the Aminbazar pipeline leak has been repaired, water that entered the line during the repair work has not yet been fully cleared, a process that could take several more days. The latest incident further reduced overall gas supply.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Titas said gas supply dropped sharply after a cargo trawler’s anchor damaged a pipeline beneath the Turag river in Aminbazar. In some areas, stoves failed to light at all. While the damaged pipeline has been repaired, water entered the pipe during the process.

Cooking fuel in Dhaka mainly comes from two sources: natural gas supplied through Titas pipelines and LPG sold by private companies, usually in cylinders. Both sources are currently under strain.

Due to reduced imports, LPG supply has declined since the final week of December. Many people are unable to find cylinders despite visiting multiple shops. Where available, a 12-kg cylinder, officially priced at Tk 1,306, is being sold for between Tk 2,000 and Tk 2,500.

With shortages of both pipeline gas and LPG occurring simultaneously, many households are struggling to cook. Those who can afford it are turning to electric stoves, while others are cooking rice in rice cookers and buying curries from restaurants.

Low-income households, however, are facing the greatest hardship, as electric stoves and rice cookers remain beyond their reach.