Patna: The expansion of piped natural gas (PNG) infrastructure in the Danapur and Bihta regions of Bihar has been delayed due to pending regulatory clearance for work along National Highway-139, slowing efforts to extend cleaner fuel access to households and industries in the area.
The project, led by GAIL India Limited, is awaiting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which is mandatory for any excavation or pipeline installation along national highway corridors. Despite formal communication between GAIL and NHAI, the approval has remained pending for an extended period.
Officials familiar with the matter said that while the state government has mandated a 24-hour turnaround for issuing NOCs within municipal limits, infrastructure projects intersecting national highways continue to face longer clearance timelines due to technical and safety requirements.
At the centre of the delay is a roughly 4.5-kilometre stretch between Naubatpur Market and Bihta Chowk, which falls under the NH-139 corridor. Without approval for this segment, pipeline work cannot proceed, preventing PNG connections from reaching several surrounding localities, including residential clusters such as Gokul Dham Society and parts of the Danapur–Bihta belt.
The restrictions stem from standard NHAI protocols that require strict assessment before allowing underground utility work beneath or alongside national highways. These guidelines are intended to protect road infrastructure and ensure safety compliance, but they often add procedural layers that can slow down utility expansion projects.
The delay has broader implications for both domestic consumers and industrial users in the region. Bihta Industrial Area, which is being developed as a key economic zone, is among the worst affected. Several units in the area are reportedly dealing with disruptions linked to LPG shortages, with businesses warning of operational strain and wider employment impacts if alternative fuel supply systems are not expanded soon.
Once completed, the PNG network is expected to supply households, commercial establishments, and industrial consumers, as well as support CNG stations in the Bihta region. However, the current bottleneck has effectively paused rollout in multiple adjoining areas despite completed project planning.
A.K. Sinha, General Manager at GAIL, said the company has already submitted the required request for clearance to NHAI authorities. “If we receive the approval in time, we expect to begin supplying connections to CNG stations, industrial units, and domestic consumers within three to four months,” he said.
Officials indicated that a similar clearance issue had previously delayed another infrastructure project in the region, though the NOC was eventually granted after significant delay, allowing PNG rollout to proceed in other parts of Patna, including Gardanibagh, where implementation has since accelerated.
Until the NH-139 approval is granted, however, expansion in the Danapur–Bihta corridor is expected to remain on hold, delaying access to cleaner fuel for thousands of potential users.
