HYDERABAD: Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia triggering LPG supply crunch, demand for piped natural gas (PNG) has surged in the city with Bhagyanagar Gas Limited (BGL) witnessing a four-fold increase in new users. Until Feb, the company was adding barely 10 new users per day. However, over the past month, that number has skyrocketed, with nearly 2,000 new consumers opting for PNG connections, with an average of over 50 new users every day.
2k consumers opt for piped gas supply in past month
Buoyed by the surge in demand and with all necessary approvals from the state govt now in place, BGL is accelerating its expansion plans. The company is set to add around 200 new connections daily and is targeting to cross the one-lakh consumer mark by the year end by onboarding an additional 20,000 users.The rising interest is particularly evident among residential communities. Several housing societies have approached BGL seeking PNG connections. Work has already begun in two high-rise residential complexes in Madhapur, where connections would be provided to around 600 flats within the next two weeks.Fast-track pending clearances: Govt“Earlier, expansion efforts were slowed by delays in approvals and coordination challenges involving multiple departments, particularly for tasks such as road excavation, pipeline installation and in-building connections. However, the state govt has now instructed all relevant departments to fast-track pending clearances and support the rapid development of PNG infrastructure, which is set to further accelerate new connections,” a BGL official said.Currently, BGL’s operations are concentrated in Bachupally, Chandanagar, BHEL, Gachibowli, Lingampally, Miyapur and Kothaguda, along with a few pockets like Kompally and Shamirpet. However, the company plans to expand its network further, extending services to areas such as Katedan and reaching eastern localities like LB Nagar within a year.Although pipelines have been laid to serve over 2.15 lakh households in apartments and gated communities, only about 84,000 homes were actively using PNG. Officials note that in many cases, builders have not completed the necessary internal connections to kitchens. Additionally, govt subsidies on LPG continue to influence some households to stick with traditional fuel options, the officials added.
