Once a piped dream, now a necessity

Between back-to-back client calls and site visits, Nikhil (name changed) finds himself adding a rather unusual task to his to-do list: tracking down plumbers. Odd as it may sound, but for officials at Bhagyanagar Gas Ltd (BGL), it has become routine. As Hyderabad witnesses a sharp rise in demand for piped natural gas (PNG) connections, plumbers and allied tradesmen have suddenly become critical to keeping up with installations.

For years, PNG remained in the background, overshadowed by the well-established and reliable liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) network. But that recently changed when the conflict in West Asia disrupted key maritime routes, tightening India’s LPG imports. Almost overnight, attention shifted to PNG. As shortages deepened, especially for commercial users, a system once considered niche began drawing interest from households, hotels and industries alike.