CHENNAI: Approximately 20,000 homes along Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), Grand Southern Trunk (GST) Road, and the southern outskirts of the city will be equipped with piped natural gas (PNG) within the next 18 months, according to M Thirukumaran N T, regional head (Kanchipuram) of THINK Gas, which holds licenses for the area.
The company currently has 5,500 active domestic connections, with nearly 60% located in Sholinganallur, Thiruporur, Thalambur, and Thaiyur along OMR.
“We have developed sufficient infrastructure across OMR, sections of GST Road beyond Tambaram, and the southern suburbs. Expansion is actively underway,” he stated, emphasizing that the pipeline systems have been interlinked with multiple supply sources to guarantee continuous service, even if one line fails. However, the company is facing challenges in increasing demand.
“In many shared living accommodations, particularly bachelor flats, residents often do not pursue gas connections due to reliance on food delivery apps or office canteens. We have identified high-rises like Hiranandani (Siruseri) where work may commence shortly,” he added. The procedure for obtaining a PNG connection has been streamlined. Pipelines with valves are installed along main roads and can be extended to individual residences, while gas risers of up to 28 meters are available for high-rises.
“Our technical team connects the gas stove and retrofits burners from 90 nm (LPG) to 110 nm (PNG) within 10-15 minutes. From registration to installation, the total time is just one day, costing about 7,000 with several payment options,” Thirukumaran said.
The operational costs for PNG are now 4-5% cheaper than LPG cylinders, down from a previous 15% advantage after a reduction of 300 in LPG prices. “We seek a level playing field. If you receive, for example, a 100 or 300 subsidy each month, then I should not be penalized for using PNG. I request a 300 subsidy through direct transfer, without routing through other entities. We urge the government to either promote LPG or natural gas, as both cannot be promoted simultaneously,” stated Chiradeep Datta, director & chief operating officer of THINK Gas.
Pipeline expansion efforts are constrained by strict work-hour regulations, limiting activities to between 11 PM and 5 AM, which effectively reduces operational time to five hours due to setup and clearance. Additionally, approvals are slow, taking two months from highways and another month from traffic police, with 45-day permits expiring during processing. Gas companies have approached TIDCO to implement a single-window clearance system to reduce timelines to five to seven working days.
