India Seeks to Expand Piped Gas Network as LPG Crisis Deepens

India has activated emergency rules to fast-track the deployment of natural gas pipelines, as escalating tensions in the Middle East deepen shortages of liquefied petroleum gas, the nation’s preferred cooking fuel.

The oil ministry invoked the Essential Commodities Act to accelerate regulatory approvals that have previously stifled consumption, according to a statement late on Tuesday. The reforms would “facilitate a gradual transition from LPG to piped natural gas,” it said in the statement.

The plan seeks to address chronic bureaucratic delays, granting automatic project approval if local bodies fail to provide timely clearances.

There are 15 million homes currently ...