Getting A New Gas Connection In India
In India, fuel is a Government monitored resource. This precisely why you can’t walk into a supermarket and pick up a cylinder of LPG! You need to register yourself with a Govt. run gas agency in your city to get your hands on cooking gas. While there are private players who provide much quicker and better service, their cylinders don’t come at subsidised rate and often cost a bomb.
Millions of citizens are dependent on the public distribution of cooking gas, mostly in the form of LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) cylinders, be it for household or commercial use. At the heart of supply chain are the three colossal pillars of India’s fuel lifeline, HPCL, IOCL and BPCL, the oil marketing companies who undertake and manage supply of cooking gas.
If you have an existing connection, supply of gas cylinders (as popularly known) is not really an issue. But applying for and getting a new gas connection is quite a big deal. You may be someone who has just started a family or arrived from a rural breadth to city or a town having realised a need to have a gas connection.
Let us take you through the nitty gritty of seeking and applying for a gas connection. Remember, all Indian citizens are eligible to apply and own a gas connection, provided the criteria is met.
The Application
To apply for a new gas connection, you have to first choose from any of the listed gas companies in your area. Look up online for the nearest agency associated with the company in your area and:
- Walk in or call the agency to confirm if they are accepting applications for new connections and gather all required information.
- You can also get onto the website of the service provider (Bharath Gas, Indane, etc) and apply online. Some companies let you file online.
- Accordingly, gather all the required documents and fill the required form (the agency will advise you further). Submitting documents for identity proof and address proof are a must at the time of applying for a new LPG connection.
Submit Valid ID And Address Proof Documents
The documents below can be produced as identity and address proof.
- Ration Card
- Aadhaar Card
- Electricity Bill
- Telephone Bill
- Passport
- Employer’s Certificate
- Flat allotment / possession letter
- House registration papers
- LIC policy
- Voter’s Identity Card
- Rental Agreement
- PAN card issued by the Income Tax department
- Driving License
Additionally, you may be asked to submit an affidavit for a new gas connection request. The affidavit must be notarized on a non judicial stamp paper for non ration card holders and on a plain paper for citizens with ration card (no notarization required).
After gathering all the required documents along with the form filled to apply for a new gas connection, visit the agency or apply online if your chosen gas company lets you do so. Upon successful completion of the application, you will be provided with a unique docket or confirmation number that lets you track the granting process. Keep this number handy that will help you track the status.
