Indian LPG consumers are to receive a big facility soon: just like mobile number portability, changing from one gas company to another will become feasible.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is about to bring out new rules that will permit households to switch their LPG supplier not only the local dealer, but the company too, just as one is able to shift between mobile operators.
This step is likely to give consumers more choice, enhance service, and put an end to hassles such as delayed cylinder refills, as was pointed out by recent trends and official consultations.
At present, LPG portability is restricted to switching the dealer under the same company. For instance, if an Indane customer has problems such as delays, they are allowed to shift only to another Indane dealer in the vicinity, not to Bharat Gas or HP Gas.
This restriction has been in place because only the company that released a cylinder had the right to fill it under the rules. The previous government had introduced a pilot portability program in 24 districts of 13 states in 2013, which was taken to 480 districts in 2014, but switching at the company level was not allowed.
PNGRB's new draft plan is to overcome this old restriction. Under the new system, consumers would be able to change their LPG connection from one brand to another (say, Indane to Bharat Gas or HP Gas) at will. This freedom will particularly help those who experience operational issues with local distributors like delays, which often take weeks.
Now, if the dealer or distributor of one company is not performing, consumers can choose a different brand’s service in their area, as prices are already largely uniform.
PNGRB invited public comments from consumers, distributors, and civil society, and the comments are open until mid-October. Based on these inputs, they will finalize regulations and announce the date for rolling out the whole country. Information about how the switch can be made by the consumer, including what documents need to be presented and technical procedures, will be released once guidelines are prepared.
India's LPG industry is controlled by three government-owned oil marketing firms:
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (Indane brand): Largest distribution network and more than 14 crore customers.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (Bharat Gas): Second largest with both domestic and commercial connections.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HP Gas): Third largest with pan-India operations.
Despite India achieving over 32 crore LPG connections and near-universal coverage, consumer grievances remain high, over 17 lakh complaints annually. Major issues include delays due to local distributor inefficiencies. PNGRB says allowing company-level portability will empower consumers, drive better competition, and help ensure timely access to this essential fuel.
Current LPG cylinder (14.2 kg) prices don’t vary much between brands but can differ by city due to local factors
Delhi- ₹853
Mumbai- ₹852.50
Kolkata- ₹879
Chennai- ₹868.50
Jaipur- ₹856.50
Bhopal- ₹858.50
Patna- ₹951
Raipur- ₹924
When inter-company portability is active, if a customer faces repeated service lapses, switching brands will be just as easy as porting a mobile number, offering true freedom of choice in India’s LPG market.