New Delhi: The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorised the development of around 1,800 km of new Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) pipelines across six states.
The projects involves an estimated investment of Rs 70 billion.
The pipelines, to be developed by state-run GAIL (India), will span Telangana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Goa.
The expansion is expected to improve the efficiency and reliability of moving LPG from import terminals and other supply points to consumption centres while reducing the movement of LPG tankers on roads.
The authorised projects comprise three pipeline stretches: the 556-km Cherlapally-Nagpur route, the 611-km Jhansi-Sitarganj route and the 633-km Shikrapur-Goa and Hubli route.
Once completed, the PNGRB-authorised common-carrier LPG pipeline network is expected to increase from about 7,700 km to nearly 9,500 km, representing growth of around 23.5 per cent.
The investment comes at a time when India remains heavily dependent on imported LPG, with bulk supplies entering mainly through coastal terminals before being transported inland.
Expanding dedicated pipeline infrastructure can reduce the logistics burden associated with long-distance road transportation and improve supply resilience.
Pipeline transportation is generally considered safer and more economical for large-volume LPG movement, while also helping reduce road congestion and tanker-related risks.
The expansion builds on India’s earlier investments in LPG pipeline infrastructure.
The Kandla-Gorakhpur LPG Pipeline, at 2,757 km, remains the country’s longest LPG pipeline and forms an important part of the broader distribution network.
The Rs 70 billion investment is therefore not only an energy-sector infrastructure outlay but also part of a wider push to improve logistics efficiency, strengthen domestic fuel supply chains and create more resilient energy infrastructure as LPG demand and distribution requirements evolve. (BVI)
