The correct option is Guwahati-Barauni pipeline.
Explanation
Pipeline transport is the most convenient and efficient mode for transporting liquids and gases (such as crude oil, petroleum products, and natural gas) over long distances. In India, major pipeline networks connect production areas and ports to refineries and consumption markets.
Analysis of Options:
- Guwahati-Barauni pipeline is correct: The first major pipeline system in India was constructed by Oil India Limited (OIL) to transport crude oil from the oil fields of Naharkatiya (Assam) to Nunmati (Guwahati). This pipeline was subsequently extended to Barauni (Bihar). Therefore, the Guwahati-Barauni pipeline is the specific link transporting oil from Assam towards the interior refinery at Barauni.
- Kandla-Panipat pipeline is incorrect: The pipeline from Kandla (Gujarat) transports imported crude oil to refineries in the interior, such as Koyali, Mathura, and Panipat. It serves the western and northern regions, not the eastern sector.
- Salaya-Mathura pipeline is incorrect: The Salaya-Mathura pipeline connects Salaya (near the Gulf of Kutch, Gujarat) to the Mathura refinery in Uttar Pradesh via Viramgam.
- Hajira-Vijaypur-Jagdishpur pipeline is incorrect: The Hajira-Vijaypur-Jagdishpur (HVJ) pipeline is a gas pipeline, not a crude oil pipeline. It transports natural gas from Gujarat through Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh.
Key Takeaway: The Naharkatiya-Nunmati-Barauni pipeline was India's first cross-country crude oil pipeline, established to transport crude from the oil fields of Assam to refineries in Guwahati and Bihar.