Govt plans to launch rules to end gas distributors' monopoly in 34 areas

The rules will be ready in three months, and implementation would take another three months as the regulator will first seek feedback from companies and the public

The government is set to introduce rules in six months that could lead to the phase-out of monopolies controlled by natural gas distribution companies in 34 cities, including New Delhi and Mumbai, allowing many consumers to choose a new supplier, a regulatory official said.

In 2009, natural gas supply regulator — the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) — gave exclusive gas marketing rights, initially for five years, to companies which had established gas distribution networks across cities.

It allowed them to use their pipelines exclusively for 25 years to help them recover billions of dollars they had invested. However, now