Representative image. | Photo credit: The Hindu
The government has ordered that domestic LPG cooking gas supplies will be cut off unless consumers switch to piped natural gas where such a connection is available, as part of a new regulation aimed at accelerating the expansion of the gas network and reducing reliance on a single fuel.
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As India grapples with LPG shortages due to war in West Asia disrupting supplies from key sources, the government is pushing households and commercial users to switch to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) – a more convenient alternative that is both domestically produced and sourced through diversified supply.
The PNG is continuously supplied to the kitchen burners by pipeline, eliminating the need to reserve refills.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has announced the Distribution of Natural Gas and Petroleum Products (Through Laying, Construction, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Regulations 2026, which aims to expedite pipeline infrastructure, facilitate approvals and encourage the transition from LPG to PNG to enhance energy security.
An order issued on March 24 said LPG supplies would “cease after three months” if a household does not opt for PNG despite availability. However, the provision allows for continuation where it is “technically impracticable” to provide a pipeline connection, subject to a no-objection certificate.
The move aims to free up LPG supplies from areas with pipeline connectivity and redirect them to regions lacking such infrastructure, while promoting “fuel diversification” amid global supply disruptions, including damage to liquefaction facilities in the Persian Gulf and the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Commenting on the regulation in a post on X, Petroleum Minister Neeraj Mittal said “the crisis (has) turned into an opportunity” due to the ease of implementing trade reforms.
The order, issued under the Basic Commodities Act, seeks to speed up pipeline infrastructure by simplifying approvals, standardizing fees and providing time-limited permits.
To facilitate rapid implementation, public authorities must grant right-of-way or permits within prescribed time limits, otherwise approvals will be deemed to have been granted. The order also prohibits authorities from imposing fees beyond those listed.
In residential areas, access control entities must grant authorization within three working days, and PNG last-mile connectivity must be provided within 48 hours. Applications for pipe connections in such areas cannot be refused.
The regulation further provides for intervention by designated officers with civil court-like powers to resolve land access disputes and grant rights of way where necessary.
Authorized entities must begin laying pipelines within four months of approval, or face penalties including possible loss of exclusivity.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Authority (PNGRB) has been designated as the nodal authority to monitor the implementation, including tracking approvals, rejections and compliance.
In the event that the entities controlling access to the residential complex do not grant the right of way or right of use to lay pipelines to the residences for PNG supply, a notice will be issued and three months thereafter the petroleum companies will stop supplying LPG.
Enumerating the “consequences of households not requesting and obtaining a PNG connection upon notification by an authorized entity” that laid the pipeline for the supply of such fuel, it said: “LPG supply to such address will cease after three months from the date of notification.”
“The supply of LPG to a household will not be stopped if the authorized person issues a no-objection certificate (NOC) on the ground that it is technically infeasible to provide gas pipeline connection or gas supply to such household,” it said.
The Authorized Person shall keep a record of the reasons for such technical infeasibility and shall collect the NOC as soon as he is able to ensure and operationalize gas pipeline connectivity to such household.
Published – 26 March 2026 07:13 IST
