Following the announcement by the UT administration to require piped natural gas (PNG) connections in areas where pipelines have been established, dissatisfaction among residents of Chandigarh has surged. Complaints regarding inflated billing, disconnection fees, and subpar service have led many to voice their concerns about both the pricing structure and the initiative to phase out LPG.<\/p>\n
Deepinder Singh, a resident of Sector 34 and one of the initial users of PNG in Chandigarh, expressed his frustration over rising costs. “Initially, the charges were manageable, but my recent bill soared to Rs 4,000 for two months, while a family member received a bill of Rs 4,500. I was even charged Rs 1,180 for disconnection when I opted to revert to LPG,” he stated. Singh, who experienced the installation of pipelines in the southern sectors, raised issues related to meter placements and inconsistent readings. “The meter was positioned in my backyard, necessitating staff to enter my home for access. Occasionally, readings were skipped for months, resulting in unexpectedly high cumulative bills. One relative faced a bill of Rs 7,800 for just four months,” he noted, adding that his complaints often went unanswered.<\/p>\n
Many residents have indicated their willingness to embrace PNG but are advocating for the introduction of additional service providers to foster competitive pricing and greater accountability.<\/p>\n
Vinod Vashisht, convener of the City Forum of Residents Welfare Organisations (CFORWO), highlighted the concern that Chandigarh currently has a monopoly on PNG service with just one private operator, while three public sector companies provide LPG. “It is unwise for the administration to enforce a single private operator. This encourages monopolistic behavior. More operators should be introduced to stimulate competition and protect consumers from long-term price exploitation,” he asserted.<\/p>\n
Concerns have also been raised regarding the administration’s directive to enforce PNG connections in pipeline-served areas, coupled with a demand for households to relinquish their LPG connections.<\/p>\n
Rajesh Rai, president of the Residents Welfare Association in Sector 43-B, emphasized that while the transition to cleaner fuel should be encouraged, it must remain optional. “Residents should have the option to keep their LPG connections for emergencies or social gatherings,” he commented.<\/p>\n
Kesar Pathania, executive president of the Sector 22 Government Houses Society, echoed similar sentiments, advocating for residents to have the autonomy to choose between PNG and LPG. “The administration needs to ensure a fair competitive environment,” he remarked.<\/p>\n
Concerns about the installation process and reliability of PNG supply were also highlighted. Shikha Nijhawan, president of the Senior Citizens Association in Sector 27, mentioned that the pipelines and meters were often poorly installed. “The community is divided on adopting PNG. Some fear losing their LPG backup during supply interruptions, while others are reluctant to modify their homes for pipeline installation,” she explained.<\/p>\n
Baldev Narang, a hotelier, criticized the minimum billing practice, stating he continues to receive a bill despite having two vacant floors in his home. “There needs to be regulation on tariff adjustments. It is unjust to impose a minimum bill when there is no usage,” he remarked.<\/p>\n
RK Garg, president of the Second Innings Association, condemned the administration’s “convert or disconnect” policy aimed at replacing LPG with PNG by the end of June. “Justifying this transition by referencing global fuel shortages is coercive. Many areas have had their infrastructure completed since 2019, yet residents are still waiting for gas supply,” he said, alleging delays and a lack of transparency regarding the use of booking fees.<\/p>\n
Garg further emphasized the need for the administration to prioritize completing outstanding connections while adopting a more inclusive approach. “There is no justification for additional delays where pipelines and meters are already installed. The current strategy has been top-down and insensitive to the realities on the ground,” he concluded.<\/p>\n
Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent for The Indian Express in Chandigarh, known for her coverage of civic issues and the political dynamics of the Union Territory. With over a decade of experience in journalism, she has earned recognition for her investigative reporting on administrative efficiency and urban governance. Rohtaki has received several accolades, including the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in January 2020 and the Jethmalani Prize in 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Following the announcement by the UT administration to require piped natural gas (PNG) connections in areas where pipelines have been established, dissatisfaction among residents of Chandigarh has surged. Complaints regarding inflated billing, disconnection fees, and subpar service have led many to voice their concerns about both the pricing structure and the initiative to phase out […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9484,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[77,78,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-chandigarh","category-in-cities","category-india"],"yoast_head":"\n