India, April 7 -- Municipal bodies in Gurugram have been directed to grant approvals for laying piped natural gas (PNG) pipelines within 24 hours, in a bid to accelerate infrastructure rollout and address gaps in connectivity, officials said.

The directive, issued by the Department of Urban Local Bodies and applicable till June 30, mandates priority processing of applications, subject to fulfilment of required conditions. Officials said the move is aimed at reducing procedural delays amid rising demand across residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

"The objective is to ensure faster approvals and promote the use of cleaner energy sources in urban areas," an official said.

Data shared by authorities shows 21,692 connections by I...