The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Tuesday issued an order to streamline and fast-track the laying and expansion of gas pipelines across the country, amid energy supply concerns following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz during the West Asia conflict.The ministry notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026 under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, introducing a time-bound and simplified framework for pipeline development. The move aims to address delays in approvals and land access, enabling faster expansion of natural gas infrastructure, including in residential areas.
Published in the Extraordinary Gazette of India, the order takes immediate effect and seeks to create a transparent and investor-friendly system for efficient gas distribution, infrastructure growth and wider access to cleaner energy.
The government said the order would help expand piped natural gas networks, improve last mile connectivity and promote cleaner fuels for cooking, transport and industrial use, strengthening energy security and supporting the shift towards a gas based economy.
"India's growing energy demand and evolving global energy landscape necessitate a resilient, diversified, and efficient energy system. This order addresses longstanding challenges in infrastructure development, regulatory uncertainty, and delays in approvals, while positioning natural gas as a key transition fuel," the government said in a statement.
The framework sets out clear and uniform rules for laying, building, operating and expanding pipelines, with standardised processes and timelines to reduce ambiguity and administrative discretion.
The move comes as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have impacted about 90% of India’s LPG imports.
"At its core, the reform is designed to significantly improve ease of doing business by simplifying procedures, reducing regulatory bottlenecks, and creating a predictable and transparent operating environment for stakeholders," the government noted.
The order is expected to accelerate the rollout of City Gas Distribution networks and trunk pipelines, while improving last-mile connectivity and scaling up piped natural gas infrastructure.
