Vadodara: Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the Vadodara Gas Ltd (VGL) office in Dandia Bazaar on Monday as a large number of residents thronged the premises following rumours that the city gas distribution company was offering free Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections.The company later clarified that it had only waived the registration charge and that the connections were not free.Demand for VGL connections in the city has surged amid a tight supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders and recent directives from the Government of India stating that households located in areas where a PNG network exists will no longer be eligible for LPG cylinders. Such households will be notified about the availability of PNG and will have to switch to it within three months of receiving the notice.Sources said the rush began after word spread that VGL was giving free connections. In reality, the company had only waived the Rs 300 registration fee. Applicants will still need to pay a Rs 6,000 security deposit along with Rs 50 as application charges for a new connection.A VGL official said many people assumed that no payment would be required to obtain the connection. It was also widely believed that Monday was the last day to avail the waiver. “Not all charges were waived. Moreover, the last date to avail the Rs 300 registration fee waiver has been extended till April 30,” the official said.VGL has been receiving around 500 applications for new connections every day for the past week. Officials said the surge is linked to the new directives as well as the difficulties consumers have recently faced with booking and delivery of LPG cylinders.
