Sood orders door-to-door outreach for PNG expansion

Delhi's power minister urges rapid expansion of piped natural gas connections, with a door-to-door campaign and plans to replace gas cylinders in public welfare schemes.

Delhi power minister Ashish Sood on Monday directed officials to accelerate the expansion of piped natural gas (PNG) connections in the national capital and conduct an intensive door-to-door campaign to encourage residents to adopt PNG, amid the West Asia crisis.

Sood said directions were issued to expand PNG coverage across the city in the next quarter. (Hindustan Times)

Sood said directions were issued to expand PNG coverage across the city in the next quarter.

He chaired a high-level meeting to review PNG expansion in Delhi. Senior officials from IGL, the Urban Development Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Delhi Jal Board, and the Delhi government were present.

During the meeting, it was highlighted that Delhi has the capacity to provide approximately 1.8 million PNG connections, of which around 1.4 million have been provided so far. Officials have been instructed to work in mission mode to deliver the remaining connections at the earliest.

Sood said a comprehensive strategy has been prepared to accelerate expansion and ensure access to a larger number of residents.

“It has been decided to prioritise the use of PNG in public welfare schemes. Under this, PNG will replace traditional gas cylinders in Atal Canteens, night shelter kitchens, mid-day meal kitchens, and MCD kitchens,” the minister said.

He said the use of PNG should be promoted in all restaurants, hotels, gurdwaras, and temples across Delhi. Instructions have been issued to lay pipelines at the earliest in places where cylinders are still in use.

He added that the pipeline network will be expanded rapidly in areas where it is not yet available, with a focus on using modern technologies in challenging areas such as narrow lanes and multi-storey buildings.

Currently, around 10,000 new PNG connections are being provided every month in Delhi, and if required, this number can be increased to 25,000 per month, he said after the meeting.

He directed officials to simplify the process of providing connections and make it more transparent and citizen-centric so that more people can benefit.

He also instructed the department to conduct an intensive door-to-door campaign to encourage residents to adopt PNG.

Noting that many areas in the capital still rely on traditional gas cylinders and stoves, while PNG is a safer and more convenient alternative, he said awareness campaigns should be conducted in areas where services are not yet available.

Special drives will be undertaken in unauthorised colonies and rural areas to inform residents about the benefits of PNG.