Patna: Residents in Patna are set to benefit from a significant easing of rules governing access to piped natural gas, after the state’s urban development department moved to eliminate bureaucratic delays that have long slowed connections across the city.
Under new directives issued by the Urban Development and Housing Department, agencies installing Piped Natural Gas (PNG) pipelines will no longer face prolonged waits for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the municipal corporation. If approval is not granted within 24 hours of an application being submitted, agencies will now be permitted to begin pipeline work automatically.
The decision is expected to accelerate the rollout of PNG connections across more than two dozen neighbourhoods in the Bihar capital, where infrastructure along main roads already exists but expansion into residential lanes has been stalled by administrative hurdles.
Until now, contractors were required to secure separate NOCs for even minor work in local streets, a process that often stretched from days into weeks. The delays left many households waiting for connections despite pipelines being laid nearby.
Officials said the revised system would not only speed up access to PNG but also improve transparency in the approval process. The shift is likely to reduce residents’ dependence on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, offering a more consistent and potentially safer fuel supply for domestic use.
A gas pipeline network has already been laid in several parts of the city, including Mahuabag, Dhanaut, Siddheshwar Nagar, Rupaspur Nalapar, Trishul Vihar Colony, Lohia Path, Ram Nagari, Magistrate Colony, AG Colony, Akashvani Road, CDA Colony and Jagdeo Path, as well as areas surrounding the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences.
Other localities with existing infrastructure include Friends Colony, Samanpura, Indrapuri, Rajabazar, NTPC Phase 1, 2 and 3, Rukanpura, Adarsh Vihar, Niti Bagh, Patel Nagar, Khajpura, Vijay Nagar, Ved Nagar, Amba Vihar, Kalyan Vihar, ESIC Colony, Jaiprakash Nagar, Krishi Nagar, RK Puram, Saguna Mor, Lekha Nagar, Khagaul, Kothwan, Gola Road, SK Puram, Bailey Road, Hartali Mor, Lal Babu Market, Shastri Nagar, Boring Canal Road, Nageshwar Colony, Patliputra, Kidwaipuri and Kavi Raman Path.
