NEW DELHI: GAIL (India) Limited has plans to set up India’s largest, 1,500-KTA Ethane Cracker Project at Ashta in Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh (MP), the company said. The product will entail an investment of around Rs. 60,000 crore and will have a product slate of various ethylene derivatives. The public sector undertaking (PSU) will seek investment approval for the project from its Board of Directors.

GAIL said in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges that it has submitted its request to the Madhya Pradesh state government for providing suitable enablers for the project. “Around 800 hectares of land shall be provided by the MP Industrial Development Corporation Limited, for which the state government has already initiated the process,” said GAIL.

“It is noteworthy that this project involving an investment of about Rs 60,000 crore will be the country’s largest ethane cracker project. A green field petrochemical complex is also proposed in this project. Under this, petrochemicals like LLDPE, HDPE, MEG and propylene will be produced. 

Through this project, 15,000 people will get employment during the construction period and about 5,600 people will get employment during the operation period,” a statement issued by Madhya Pradesh’s Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.

The project will also involve a 70-hectare township. The ground breaking ceremony of the project is expected to take place by  February 2025 and commercial production is expected to start in the financial year 2030-31.