On May 29, 2016 when newly elected Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan called on Narendra Modi, the prime minister asked him, “Will you do something about the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) pipeline issue?” Vijayan responded positively, “You will see that it will be implemented.”
On January 5, 2021 the prime minister inaugurated the 450-km long natural gas pipeline project connecting Kochi to Mangaluru in a virtual event attended by all the stakeholders including Vijayan.
The multi-million rupees project that didn’t move much between 2014 to 2016 was completed due to Vijayan’s proactive approach. Those who have been involved with the project and another ambitious projects of the National Highway Authority in Kerala swear by Vijayan’s pragmatic attitude for infrastructure development in his state.