Chandigarh, March 29 -- Days after the central government mandated a shift from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG) in areas with existing pipeline networks, Chandigarh has begun rolling out the transition on the ground - setting a target of 1 lakh PNG connections within the 90-day compliance window. The move follows the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026, issued earlier this week under the Essential Commodities Act, which requires households to switch to PNG within three months of receiving notice or face discontinuation of gas refill supplies. The move comes amid panic over energy supply chain in view of the ongoing West Asia conflict. The war has triggered concerns over a cooking fuel shortage in India, which imports about 60% of its total LPG requirements, nearly 90% of which passes through the Strait of Hormuz. In Chandigarh, where only around 22,000 households currently use PNG against nearly 3.08 lakh LPG connections, the administration has started a citywide push to scale up adoption, particularly in sectors where pipelines are already in place. Indian Oil-Adani Gas Private Limited (IOAGPL), which rolled out PNG in Chandigarh in November 2016, has already laid pipelines across several parts of the city, including Sectors 32 to 38, 40 to 51, Industrial Area, Phases 1 and 2, and Manimajra - covering roughly 30% of Chandigarh. But nine years later, the transition has remained limited despite infrastructure availability. To bridge the gap, the administration will be launching a door-to-door awareness drive in these sectors, along with registration camps in group housing societies to fast-track applications. Officials of the UT food and supplies department have been directed to organise two camps daily in group housing societies over the next week to address consumer concerns and facilitate on-the-spot registrations. RWAs and local representatives will also be actively involved to improve outreach and build public confidence. The commercial sector, including hotels and restaurants, is also being nudged to shift to PNG, given its higher fuel consumption. To support this, the municipal corporation and the engineering department have been asked to fast-track approvals for pipeline laying. A high-level meeting, chaired by deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, with officials of the food and supplies department, representatives of RWAs, and members of hotel and restaurant bodies, was also held on Saturday to review progress and remove bottlenecks in PNG adoption. The deputy commissioner directed that PNG connections be provided within one week in areas where infrastructure was already available. Emphasising the urgency of the transition, the deputy commissioner highlighted the benefits of PNG, including enhanced safety, uninterrupted supply, cost efficiency and environmental sustainability. He called for coordinated efforts among all stakeholders to accelerate the transition....