Authorities push PNG amid LPG crisis in Doon

Dehradun: Authorities are accelerating the rollout of piped natural gas (PNG) amid an ongoing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage affecting both households and businesses. In Dehradun, domestic PNG connections have risen from 1,800 to over 2,200 within a month, officials said Wednesday.The LPG shortfall, particularly in the commercial sector, has forced establishments to shut down, prompting many to shift to PNG. TOI reported in Feb that the PNG project in Dehradun was introduced in 2020, and gained momentum in 2022 and is expected to be completed by 2030. Despite nearly one lakh households applying, only about 1,800 had connections until recently. Officials said the uptick in connections recently is due to policy interventions and operational flexibility. "There has been a push from the Centre to scale up supply. Earlier, work was permitted only at night, but now we have approval for 24-hour operation. This will accelerate the pace of connections," said Ambuj Gautam, general manager at GAIL Gas.The ministry of petroleum and natural gas has directed city gas distribution (CGD) entities to expand infrastructure and expedite domestic PNG rollout. It urged commercial establishments to switch to natural gas to ease pressure on LPG supplies. Authorities have also been instructed to streamline statutory approvals and consider temporary waivers for road restoration and permission charges.GAIL Gas has now secured round-the-clock work permits from the Dehradun administration. "With continuous operations, we can add up to 20 domestic connections per day. Commercial establishments are also showing an interest, and one mall has already transitioned to piped gas. We expect 15–20 more commercial units to transition within a month," Gautam said.The transition to PNG is expected to reduce dependence on LPG and provide relief to businesses at risk of closure due to fuel shortages. The project aims to cover approximately three lakh households across Dehradun district, including parts of Rishikesh, Doiwala and Chakrata. Of the sanctioned cost of Rs 1,500 crore, over Rs 300 crore has been invested. At present, the district has a stock of 33,040 domestic LPG cylinders and 1,405 commercial cylinders.