Rakesh Verma, 55, retired bank manager from Greater Noida. Applied for a PNG connection from IGL (Indraprastha Gas Limited) in November 2024 for his 3 BHK flat in Sector 137. Paid Rs 6,200 security deposit. By May 2025, six months later, no connection — even though the IGL pipeline was visibly running through his society's basement.

“I called 18001026999 — the IGL toll-free — at least twelve times. Each time the script was the same: 'Sir, your case is in queue, please wait.' My LPG cylinder cost had crossed Rs 1,100 per refill and I was paying nearly Rs 2,500 a month for fuel that I knew would be Rs 800 on PNG. In May my neighbour, who had got his PNG in March, told me about an RTI. I sent it on 12 May to the PIO at IGL Noida regional office, with a Rs 10 IPO and Rs 50 Speed Post. The reply came back on 6 June — 25 days. It said in clear English: 'The pipeline laying inside your society has been completed up to the riser. However, last-mile floor-wise tapping requires a collective NOC from the RWA / society management committee for shaft access on each floor. The said NOC for B-block 4th floor (your flat) has not been received by IGL till date. Latest reminder sent to RWA on 22-Apr-2025.' I took a print of the RTI reply to the next RWA monthly meeting. The president — who had been delaying because two members were holding out on shaft charges — was embarrassed that IGL had named the RWA in writing. The collective NOC was issued the same week. The IGL technician came on 14 June. PNG was flowing on 17 June. From RTI to flame: 36 days. Before the RTI: 6 months of 'in queue'.” —Rakesh, June 2025 </WRAP> This is the standard pattern in PNG-laid cities. PNGRB's 2024 review found that roughly one in three PNG applications in laid areas breach the published 30-day connection timeline, but written reasons are rarely given. The PIO at the City Gas Distributor (CGD) or the OMC area office, however, must answer in writing in 30 days under the RTI Act 2005 — and yes, private CGDs are public authorities for RTI purposes (see counter section below). ===== Why an RTI works (when 18001026999 / mylpg.in doesn't) ===== You have probably already tried the helpline (18001026999 IGL, 1916 MGL, distributor mobile for Adani / GAIL Gas, 1906 LPG emergency, 1800-2333555 IOCL Indane, 1800-2333-555 BPCL, 1860-022-22 HPCL), the portal (igl.co.in, mahanagargas.com, adanigas.com, mylpg.in, https://pmuy.gov.in for Ujjwala) and maybe the distributor's WhatsApp. They can work — when they do. * Helpline / portal: the agent or auto-ticket can mark your complaint “resolved” with “in queue” or “site survey scheduled” — no reason needed, no appeal, no deadline. * PNGRB grievance: real route, but it asks for the basis on which the CGD held up your file — which only an RTI gives you. * RTI: the PIO must give you a written reply with reasons within 30 days under §7(1) of the RTI Act 2005. If they don't, you file a First Appeal for free under §19(1). Then a Second Appeal to the State Information Commission (SIC) or the Central Information Commission (CIC for OMCs / GAIL), where penalties of up to Rs 25,000 can be imposed on the silent PIO under §20. In short: the helpline is a request. An RTI is a legal claim on your right to know. And the written reply is admissible evidence if you go to PNGRB or to consumer court. ===== The 8 steps, in order ===== ==== Step 1 — Identify your CGD / OMC and the right office ==== The PIO sits at the regional / area office that covers your service address — not the corporate HQ. For PNG (piped natural gas) — find the City Gas Distributor (CGD) authorised under PNGRB for your area: * Delhi-NCR (Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram parts): IGL — Indraprastha Gas Limited * Mumbai metropolitan + Thane + parts of Raigad: MGL — Mahanagar Gas Limited * Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat etc.) + Faridabad + Khurja + many other GAs: Adani Total Gas * Pune, Bengaluru, parts of Andhra, Karnataka, MP: GAIL Gas / GGCL / Maharashtra Natural Gas / Aavantika Gas * Tamil Nadu (Chennai, Coimbatore): Indian Oil-Adani Gas, IndianOil-Adani Ventures (IOAGPL) * Smaller cities: check the PNGRB City Gas Distribution map at https://www.pngrb.gov.in For LPG (cylinder) — find the OMC and your distributor: * IOCL Indane — distributor name on your LPG passbook / mylpg.in profile * HPCL HP Gas — distributor name on passbook / myhpgas.in * BPCL Bharat Gas — distributor name on passbook / ebharatgas.com * PMUY (Ujjwala) — distributor + status at https://pmuy.gov.in Find the regional / area office at the CGD portal under “Contact Us” or on the OMC distributor receipt. Note the full postal address. ==== Step 2 — Identify the PIO ==== Each CGD and OMC has notified PIOs under §5(1) of the RTI Act: * IGL: PIO at the IGL regional office (e.g., Noida regional office, Gurugram, Karol Bagh) * MGL: Manager (Customer Care) at MGL HQ Mumbai or zonal office * Adani Total Gas: PIO at the regional office (Ahmedabad HQ or city-wise) * GAIL Gas: PIO at the city office; HQ at GAIL Bhavan, New Delhi * IOCL / HPCL / BPCL: PIO at the Sales Area Office (SAO) or the State Office of the OMC; for distributor-level disputes, also write to the Senior Area Manager (LPG) You don't need their personal name — the title is enough. <code> The Public Information Officer [CGD / OMC name], [Regional / Area Office] [full postal address] </code> The First Appellate Authority (FAA) is one rank above — usually the Regional Manager / Senior Manager (Customer Care) / Deputy General Manager. ==== Step 3 — Pay the Rs 10 fee ==== * Indian Postal Order (IPO) for Rs 10, payable to the company (e.g., “Indraprastha Gas Limited”, “Indian Oil Corporation Limited”). Buy from any post office. Most reliable. * Demand Draft (DD) for Rs 10 * Online payment at https://rtionline.gov.in (works for OMCs as central PSUs; some CGDs have their own RTI portal) * Cash at the dak counter — get a stamped receipt If you are Below Poverty Line (BPL), the fee is waived under §7(5) — attach a copy of your BPL ration card. PMUY (Ujjwala) beneficiaries also enjoy this waiver in practice. ==== Step 4 — Write the RTI (use this exact template) ==== Keep your questions specific, factual, and answerable in writing. <code> [Your full name] [Service address — same as application] [Phone] · [Email] [Date] To, The Public Information Officer [CGD / OMC name], [Regional / Area Office] [full postal address] Subject: RTI application under §6(1), RTI Act 2005 — status of new PNG / LPG connection application Sir/Madam, I am an applicant for a new PNG / LPG connection from [CGD / OMC name]. I request the following information under §6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, read with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006 [for PNG] / the LPG Control Order, 2000 [for LPG] and the Right of Consumers Rules, 2020: Application Number / CRN: [number] Service connection address: [address] Date of application: [DD-MM-YYYY] Security deposit / fee paid: Rs [amount] Receipt / payment reference: [reference] Category: [Domestic / Commercial / PMUY (Ujjwala)] Information sought: 1. The current status of my above-mentioned application/connection, in writing, with date-wise file movement. 2. The specific reason for delay beyond the timeline published in the Citizen's Charter / PNGRB authorisation conditions / OMC service commitment. 3. The name and designation of the dealing official, marketing officer, network engineer, and area manager presently handling the file. [For PNG, also add:] 4. Whether the trunk pipeline and the in-society lateral has been laid up to my building / floor; if yes, the date of completion. 5. Whether NOC from the RWA / society / building owner has been received; if not, the date of the last reminder issued by the CGD to the RWA, and the channel (letter / email). 6. Whether the gas meter and regulator are in stock at the regional stores; if not, the expected stocking date. 7. The date of the safety inspection (PNG) carried out / scheduled at my premises by your authorised gas engineer. [For LPG, also add:] 4. Whether my KYC documents (Aadhaar, address proof, bank account for DBT subsidy) are in order on the OMC system; if any mismatch, the exact field and the correction format required. 5. Whether the cheque / DD / online payment for the new connection security deposit has been realised; if returned, the bank reference and reason. 6. The date of the LPG distributor's home delivery survey, and the officer who carried it out. 7. Cylinder + regulator + suraksha hose stock position at the distributor as of the date of this RTI. [Common to both:] 8. A copy of the citizen's charter of [CGD / OMC name] indicating connection timelines and any compensation or refund payable for breach of the timeline under PNGRB / OMC norms. Fee: I enclose Indian Postal Order No. [number] dated [date] for Rs 10 in favour of “[CGD / OMC name]”. I declare that I am a citizen of India. Thank you, [Signature] [Name] </code> ==== Step 5 — Send by registered post (or hand-deliver) ==== Use Registered Post with Acknowledgement Due (AD) — about Rs 50. Tracking + proof of delivery. * Take the application + IPO to the post office * Ask for “Registered AD” * Keep the receipt — your dated proof of filing * The pink AD card returns signed by the CGD / OMC office in 7-10 days You can also hand-deliver at the regional office's reception and ask for a stamped acknowledgement on a duplicate copy. Either is valid under §6(1). ==== Step 6 — Mark the deadline on your calendar ==== The 30-day clock starts the day the office receives your application (date on the AD card, not the date you posted). * Day 30: Reply due. If silence, proceed to Step 7. * Day 31 onwards: This is §7(2) deemed refusal. You can file a free First Appeal immediately. ==== Step 7 — Use the reply to push the right person ==== The PIO's reply usually falls into one of these patterns. Take the matching action: - “Pipeline not yet reached your building” — ask for the PNGRB-approved network roll-out plan for your GA (geographic area) in a follow-up RTI; PNGRB authorisations have time-bound MWP (Minimum Work Programme) targets that can be enforced. - “NOC from RWA / housing society pending” — Rakesh's case. Take the RTI reply to the RWA monthly meeting; the public naming usually moves things. - “Gas meter / regulator out of stock” — push to the General Manager (Operations); PNGRB norms require continuous stocking. - “KYC mismatch (LPG)“ — fix on mylpg.in / distributor app; refile. - “Cheque bounced / DD lost” — get bank confirmation, attach to fresh DD, ask for receipt. - “Safety inspection pending” — request fresh inspection date in writing; cite Right of Consumers Rules. - “Distributor change-over (LPG)“ — under OMC rules, change-over has to be completed in 7 working days; escalate to OMC State Office. - “PMUY / Ujjwala — pending document” — write to the District Nodal Officer (PMUY) + LPG Sales Area Office; PMUY beneficiaries get priority. ==== Step 8 — File First Appeal if no reply or vague reply ==== A First Appeal is also free, also by registered post, also a 30-day clock. The FAA is the Regional Manager / DGM (Marketing): <code> To, The First Appellate Authority (Regional Manager / Deputy General Manager) [CGD / OMC name], [Regional / Area Office] [full postal address] Subject: First Appeal under §19(1), RTI Act 2005 Sir/Madam, I filed an RTI application dated [original date] (acknowledged by your office on [AD date]). The 30-day reply window under §7(1) ended on [day 30]. I have received [no reply / a vague reply not addressing my questions]. I therefore file a First Appeal under §19(1) of the RTI Act 2005. I attach: (a) copy of the original RTI, (b) postal AD acknowledgement, © the PIO's reply if any. I request that the FAA direct the PIO to provide the information sought, and pass any further orders the FAA deems fit, including action under §20 for the deemed refusal. [Signature] </code> If the FAA also fails to respond in 45 days (the §19(6) cap), file a Second Appeal to the Central Information Commission (CIC) at https://cic.gov.in for OMCs (IOCL/HPCL/BPCL/GAIL — central PSUs) or to the State Information Commission (SIC) for state-jurisdiction CGDs. Both accept e-filing; hearings are mostly by video conference. For sectoral grievance — independent of the RTI — use the PNGRB grievance route at https://www.pngrb.gov.in (PNG) or write to the Director (Marketing) at the OMC HQ for LPG. ===== Common rejection counters ===== PIOs sometimes try to refuse with these grounds. Each is wrong for a gas-connection RTI; here is the counter: * “Private company — RTI Act doesn't apply.” Wrong for CGDs. IGL, MGL, Adani Total Gas, GAIL Gas all carry statutory authorisation under the PNGRB Act 2006 and operate under a notified Citizen's Charter. The CIC has held in Rakesh Gupta v. PIO IGL (CIC, 2017) and similar orders that CGDs are public authorities or, alternatively, that the information they hold is accessible through the PNGRB (which is undeniably a public authority under §2(h)). For LPG, IOCL/HPCL/BPCL are central PSUs — squarely public authorities. * “§8(1)(d) — commercial confidence.” Invalid. Your own application file, the network status of the laid pipeline in your society, and the safety inspection report are about your service, not commercial trade secrets. * “§8(1)(e) — fiduciary relationship.” Invalid. Aditya Bandopadhyay v. CBSE (2011) 8 SCC 497 settles this — your own records held by a public authority must be disclosed to you. * “§8(1)(j) — personal information.” Frequently misapplied to refuse names of dealing officers. Names of public servants doing official duty are out of scope. * “Approach the helpline first.” Not a valid ground for refusing an RTI. Both can run together. * “PNGRB authorisation contains commercial terms.” The Citizen's Charter portion and the connection-timeline commitments are public; only genuine bid-stage commercial data is protected. ===== After-filing escalation map ===== - PIO (Regional Office) — 30 days - §19(1) First Appeal to the FAA (Regional Manager / DGM) — 30 days to file, 30+15 days to decide - §19(3) Second Appeal to the CIC (for OMCs and central CGDs like GAIL Gas) or SIC (for state-jurisdiction issues) — no fee, e-filing accepted - PNGRB grievance at https://www.pngrb.gov.in — sectoral regulator for PNG / CNG / city gas - OMC HQ — Director (Marketing) for LPG — Mumbai (BPCL/HPCL), New Delhi (IOCL) - District Nodal Officer (PMUY) + State Mission Director, PMUY for Ujjwala beneficiaries - State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under Consumer Protection Act 2019 - Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for systemic / policy delays ===== Related ===== * RTI in 12 simple steps — the universal beginner's guide * All helplines — gas, water, electricity, central + state * RTI forms + fees by state — IPO / DD / court-fee guidance * RTI for delayed electricity connection — sibling guide * RTI for delayed water connection — sibling guide * RTI for stuck PF withdrawal — same template, different domain * PNGRB — Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board * PMUY — Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana * mylpg.in — common LPG portal for IOCL / HPCL / BPCL Last reviewed: 26 April 2026 by RTI Wiki editorial team. If you spot an out-of-date phone number, portal name or office address, please post on the Q&A forum or write to admin@bighelpers.in.

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