Outlook Business Desk
The government has introduced a new requirement for households that switch to piped natural gas. Under the updated rules, consumers who obtain a PNG connection must give up their existing LPG connection within a fixed 30-day period.
The change was notified through the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Amendment Order, 2026. The amendment aims to make the transition easier for domestic consumers moving between LPG and PNG systems.
The new requirement applies to customers of Indane, BharatGas and HP Gas. Once a household obtains a PNG connection, it must surrender its existing LPG connection within the timeframe specified under the amended rules.
Once a PNG connection becomes active, households have 30 days to surrender their existing LPG connection. The deadline is calculated from the date the PNG service starts, making timely compliance necessary under the new rule.
Consumers surrendering LPG connections can receive a transfer voucher for future use. This benefit is available if they later move to an area where PNG infrastructure is unavailable and they need to switch back to LPG.
The transfer voucher cannot be used when moving from one PNG-served location to another. According to the rule, the facility is intended only for consumers relocating to places where piped natural gas services are not available.
The 30-day surrender requirement is separate from LPG refill restrictions. Consumers without PNG connections remain subject to refill lock-in periods of 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas, replacing the earlier 21-day gap.
Consumers can surrender LPG connections online through their supplier’s website or mobile application. They need to log in using registered details, submit a cancellation request and allow the distributor to complete the collection process.
The government has also barred consumers who already have PNG connections from applying for new LPG connections. The move aims to ensure LPG supplies remain available for households living in areas where PNG networks have not yet reached.