IIT Roorkee inaugurates PNG pipeline week after asking hostel kitchens to use wood, coal due to LPG shortage

After a week of asking its hostel kitchens to prepare food using wood and coal in case LPG supplies run out due to nationwide shortage, the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) has inaugurated a new Piped Natural Gas (PNG) facility on its campus.

The institute had also advised hostel kitchens to reduce LPG-heavy menu items and replace them with simpler, nutritious options that require less fuel.

Earlier, the Associate Dean of Students’ Welfare (Bhawan & Mess) had warned that LPG cylinder availability has become severely constrained and could disrupt routine cooking operations in hostel kitchens.

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Phase 1 of PNG Project at IIT Roorkee

On March 25, IIT Roorkee launched phase 1 of the PNG project. The institute announced that over 15,000 meters of MDPE pipeline have already been laid. The project plans to extend the PNG connections to 14 hostel mess facilities and around 1,500 residences across the campus.

“The phase 1 of the PNG project aligns with the Government of India’s vision to promote PNG as a cleaner, safer and more reliable energy source. The new facilities are expected to enhance convenience for residents and students while contributing to reduced carbon emissions and supporting India’s transition to sustainable energy solutions,” according to an official statement.

Moreover, the HNGPL, a joint venture of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and GAIL Gas Limited, has collaborated with the Institute Works Department (IWD) of IIT Roorkee and is working to extend PNG connections to every kitchen on campus, the institute said.