- The government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to accelerate piped natural gas expansion.
- Landowners must now grant right of way for pipeline infrastructure.
- The move aims to boost clean energy access and reduce LPG dependenc
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas notified a new legal reform by invoking the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) for expansion of the piped natural gas network in a time-bound manner across India.Issued late Tuesday, the order makes it mandatory for both domestic and commercial landowners to grant “right of way” for gas pipelines. The move aims to reduce the burden and over-dependence on any single fuel, particularly imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), in the country.
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Eliminating potential hindrances by landowners in laying the PNG pipelines by denying "right of way,” the circular stated, “The Central Government considers it necessary in public interest to have a uniform framework to address issues that hinder the laying of such pipelines, including denial of access to land, delay in approvals, delay in grant of right of way or right of user in the land, and high fees and charges, to enable entities to undertake the laying of pipelines for transportation of natural gas and petroleum products in a time-bound manner and increase the number of piped natural gas users across India.”
The notification highlights investments in infrastructure, stating, “Published in the extraordinary gazette of India, the order comes into immediate effect and establishes a comprehensive, transparent, and investor-friendly framework for efficient gas distribution, rapid infrastructure expansion, and equitable access to cleaner energy.”
The ministry clarified that the move would expand pipeline networks for cooking, transport, and industrial purposes across urban and semi-urban areas. A shift toward natural gas promises a dual win: cleaner air through lower emissions and a boost to industrial productivity via affordable, steady energy.
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Through this new reform the government aims to address delay in approval for PNG distribution, while addressing India's growing energy demand, evolving global energy landscape, challenges in infrastructure development, and regulatory uncertainty.
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