Lucknow: More than 1.6 lakh new domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections have been issued across UP till June 24, taking the total domestic consumer figure up to 22.27 lakh as the state continues to expand its city gas distribution (CGD) network.According to official figures, 1,60,121 new household PNG connections have been released across 43 geographical areas in the state. The target for the 2026-27 financial year is to provide 16,23,163 new domestic connections, with 9.86% of the goal achieved so far.The connection drive is underway in several districts, including Prayagraj, Lucknow, Meerut, Moradabad, Mathura, Gorakhpur, Firozabad, Muzaffarnagar, Varanasi, Aligarh, Bulandshahr, Auraiya, Gautambudhnagar and Shahjahanpur.In UP, 13 CGD companies are operating, including IOC Adani Gas, Torrent Gas, Green Gas Ltd (GGL), GAIL Gas, GAIL India, Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) and HPCL. These companies are expanding pipeline infrastructure and providing new household connections in their respective licensed areas.In GGL’s operational areas, the number of domestic PNG consumers has crossed 2.18 lakh. Lucknow accounts for more than 1.11 lakh consumers, while Agra has about 1.04 lakh PNG users.PNG is considered a cleaner alternative to conventional cooking fuels. Besides reducing dependence on LPG cylinders, it provides uninterrupted gas supply through pipelines and includes safety features such as leak detection systems.Officials said pipeline expansion is continuing in new cities and residential colonies to increase household access to PNG. The progress of the rollout is being monitored regularly to meet the annual connection target.Meanwhile, official datasets present differing pictures of PNG adoption in the state. Data from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) indicates that more than 2.4 crore domestic households in UP have access to the PNG network. However, figures from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) show that only around 22.27 lakh households are active PNG consumers.Officials from CGD companies attributed the gap to the difference between network connectivity and actual usage. While PNGRB data counts households connected to the pipeline network, PPAC records only those consumers who have opted for PNG and are regularly using the service.“The actual number of consumers is reflected by those paying bills for PNG usage. Many households have pipeline connectivity but continue to rely on LPG and have not yet switched to piped gas,” an official from one of the CGD companies operating in UP said.
