Piped gas demand triples in Pune’s housing societies amid govt push

Pune: The demand for piped natural gas (PNG) in Pune's housing societies has nearly tripled from 140-150 household connections to 400–500, officials from the Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd (MNGL) told TOI on Friday.

The Union govt has been promoting use of piped gas to reduce dependence on LPG cylinders ever since the war broke out in West Asia.

Officials said the state cooperation department's initiative to reach out to over 6,000 housing societies with ready piped gas infrastructure, but used only by 20%-30% residents, has started to yield results. At present, over 4 lakh households in Pune use piped gas. There is prevailing infrastructure for 8 lakh households in societies and MNGL said they were prepared to scale up use.


An MNGL official said, "The demand has increased from societies with existing infrastructure as well as from those seeking new connections. Areas where infrastructure exists are being covered on priority."

The company has introduced a special scheme to accelerate adoption by offering a Rs500 waiver on the first bill and zero application charges, leading to a total savings of Rs1,550 for societies applying before April-end. The response is good, said a source from MNGL.

There are over 20,000 housing societies in Pune city and coordination with the state housing federation and local authorities is helping speed up the process, said officials.

State housing federation chairperson Suhas Patwardhan told TOI: ""We have shared a letter with all member societies and are following up with MNGL. It is up to them how soon they can provide the services." Societies are showing a positive response to the initiative, he added.

Officials said the Pune Municipal Corporation was helping fast-track PNG connectivity by granting permissions to lay pipelines and expand the gas network.

The Union govt recently issued a directive to discontinue LPG cylinder supplies to households located in areas where piped gas infrastructure was available. Under the new mandate, city gas distribution companies will notify residents eligible for PNG through registered post and provide a 90-day window to apply for the connections, failing which LPG supply may be discontinued.

Officials said the move is aimed to reduce pressure on India's energy import bill, since nearly 60% of the country's LPG requirements are met through imports. The new policy also introduces a deemed approval clause for right-of-way permissions, ensuring municipal delays do not slow pipeline expansion.

Meanwhile, many residential complexes without PNG infrastructure have approached MNGL for approvals and a request to speed up applications, said a housing society representative.

Officials said piped gas, supplied through the city gas distribution network, ensured continuous and stable supply as compared to LPG cylinders. It makes for a more reliable and efficient option for urban households, they added.