Amid a nationwide LPG crisis due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, the government has decided to accelerate piped natural gas (PNG) network expansion across urban India and ensure uninterrupted delivery of essential services.
During a roundtable review meeting held in the national capital on Sunday, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) outlined the current status of PNG rollout, emphasising its advantages over LPG in terms of safety, reliability, affordability, and environmental sustainability.
The meeting, attended by Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Pralhad Joshi, also mulled a proposal to provide 50 lakh new PNG connections in the country.
The stakeholders, however, pointed out key challenges like delays in municipal permissions, RoW (right-of-way) approvals, and high restoration charges, which continue to impede timely network expansion. They also stressed the need for rationalisation or temporary waiver of such charges and adoption of single-window and time-bound clearance systems.
Deliberations also highlighted several best practices, including fast-tracking of road-cutting permissions and adoption of deemed approval mechanisms to expedite project implementation.
Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal, called for mission-mode implementation to accelerate PNG expansion, institutionalisation of single-window approvals, integration of PNG infrastructure into urban planning, facilitation of last-mile connectivity, and convergence with ongoing urban development initiatives.
Addressing the gathering, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, encouraged states and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) to actively promote PNG adoption, particularly in areas where infrastructure is already available.
Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, advised states to strengthen monitoring and vigilance mechanisms, and to encourage consumers to transition from LPG to PNG wherever feasible, with priority given to public institutions such as schools and colleges.
“There was broad consensus on facilitating a phased and structured transition from LPG to PNG in areas with existing infrastructure, supported by adequate consumer awareness and safeguards to prevent disruption of essential services. States and ULBs (urban local bodies) agreed to streamline approval processes, rationalize RoW charges, and designate nodal officers for effective coordination,” the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) said in a release.
“CGD (city gas distribution) entities and municipal commissioners committed to closer collaboration to resolve operational challenges and enhance service delivery,” it added.
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