Companies speed up provision of PNG connections

With the LPG shortage hitting consumers since March, many are looking at piped natural gas (PNG) as an option.

The two companies providing connections – Torrent Gas and Think Gas – across Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu say they have speeded up the process and have covered hundreds of homes. 

Think Gas recently declared households across seven residential communities as LPG-free zone in Kancheepuram. SBIOA, Victoria Tower, Embassy Residency, Bollineni Phase 1, Bollineni Iris (Phase 3), Bollineni Phase 2, and Urban Rise have been thus certified. These cover around 4,000 homes. 

Thirukkumaran N. T., Regional Head – Kancheepuram, Think Gas, said that through the declaration, the company aimed to work closely with residential communities to accelerate PNG adoption and build greater awareness around piped gas infrastructure, he said.

K.S.R. Prasad of Torrent said the company had 100% coverage of households in many large residential complexes in Chennai and consumers in such homes were using natural gas in their homes. The company got 2,420 registrations from individual houses out of which 597 have PNG. Similarly, in case of apartment complexes, Torrent has registered 9,515 units of which 4,436 are connected to their network. 

However, Harsha Koda, co-founder, FOMRRA said, “In some apartments the companies are saying PNG is not feasible. It would be good to know where PNG is feasible and where it is not so that we can connect the company with the residents. People are willing to shift. There is some question about availability of gas throughout the day”.