India Approves 1,800 km of New LPG Pipelines with ₹7,000 Crore Investment
NEW DELHI:The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorised the development of nearly 1,800 km of new LPG pipelines at an estimated investment of ₹7,000 crore.
The projects will expand India’s common-carrier LPG pipeline network by almost a quarter and strengthen the country’s fuel supply infrastructure.
The three pipelines will be developed by state-run GAIL (India) Ltd across Telangana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Goa.
Details of the Approved Projects
The newly authorised pipelines are:
• 556-km Cherlapally (Telangana) to Nagpur (Maharashtra) line
• 611-km Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) to Sitarganj (Uttarakhand) pipeline
• 633-km Shikrapur (Maharashtra) to Goa and Hubli (Karnataka) line
Once completed, the PNGRB-authorised common-carrier LPG pipeline network will expand from about 7,700 km to nearly 9,500 km, an increase of around 23.5 per cent.
These projects build on the earlier authorisation of the 2,757-km Kandla-Gorakhpur LPG pipeline, currently the longest in the country.
Reducing Dependence on Road Transport
India relies heavily on imported LPG, which arrives at coastal terminals and is then transported inland. A larger dedicated pipeline network is expected to improve the efficiency and reliability of moving LPG to consumption centres.
PNGRB stated that the new infrastructure will accelerate the shift from road-based transportation of LPG to pipelines. This is expected to reduce the movement of LPG tankers, improve road safety, lower logistics costs, ease traffic congestion and cut carbon emissions.
Pipeline transportation is considered a safer and more economical mode for moving LPG over long distances. The regulator has been working to minimise the primary movement of LPG by road to bottling plants, particularly after a series of serious accidents involving LPG tankers.
Beyond logistics and safety benefits, the pipelines hold strategic value. They can provide an alternative supply route during disruptions, emergencies or periods of high demand.
The pipelines can also function as “line-pack storage,” allowing LPG to remain within the system while product continues to flow, offering an additional buffer during short-term interruptions.
The latest authorisations form part of a broader effort to build a more integrated LPG transportation network linking coastal import points with major consumption centres across the country.
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