India’s CNG network expands to over 8,600 stations in 2026, says Puri

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said India’s compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure has expanded significantly over the past decade, with the number of CNG stations increasing from 738 in 2014 to more than 8,600 in 2026.

Sharing the update on LinkedIn, the minister said that the rapid expansion of the network has enabled millions of daily journeys using CNG-powered vehicles while supporting the country’s transition towards cleaner mobility.

Puri noted that CNG vehicles emit substantially lower pollutants compared to conventional fuels. According to him, such vehicles can emit up to 46 times lower particulate matter and produce near-zero sulphur emissions, helping reduce urban air pollution.The government has been pushing the development of CNG infrastructure as part of a broader strategy to diversify India’s transportation energy mix and lower emissions from road transport.India is also planning a further expansion of the network, with a target to reach 18,336 CNG stations by 2030. The rollout includes the development of corridor-based infrastructure to ensure wider availability of CNG across highways and urban centres.

The minister said the expansion aligns with the clean energy and mobility vision promoted under the leadership of Narendra Modi, aimed at building nationwide infrastructure to support low-emission transportation solutions.