As most of us use Government owned or controlled LPG providers like Indane, Barath & HP, the transfer may be a bit painful if we don’t know the process. Especially if we don’t know about the required documents, we have to waste time in visiting the gas agency multiple times.
Recently I shifted my house from one part of Chennai to another and I would like to share my experience of transferring Indane gas connection. The process is more or less same if you are moving between states/cities/towns also it applies to other gas agencies like – HP Gas & Barath Gas.
Gas agency transfer is a two step process- first get transfer voucher from your current gas agency and then submit the voucher at your new agency to complete the formalities.
Get Transfer Voucher From Your Current Gas Agency
A week ahead of your planned shifting date approach your current agency and initiate the transfer process. Once the transfer is initiated, you need to wait for 3 days before approaching your new gas agency for completion of transfer process. Lets look at the process in detail
Step 1: Get address details of the gas agency where you want to transfer the gas connection. It should be the one which is closer to your new house. Google for the details of agencies close by or speak to neighbours of your new house. Google gave me two choices but my neighbours helped me to get the details of right agency.
Step 2 a: Detach Gas Regulator device from the stove carefully. it’s required at the time of applying for transfer.
Step 2 b: Take original gas connection voucher document, id proof and address proof documents. Gas connection voucher is not your gas book or bills you receive every month. It’s a two page printed document (original + carbon copy) that you got when the gas connection was sectioned. It contain details like number of cylinders you own, customer number, amount of deposit you paid, gas regulator device number, etc. Have id proof, address proof, gas book handy. They will be helpful to prove your identification if required.
Step 3: Take a white paper and writer a transfer request letter to your current gas agency. In the letter mention your consumer number, current address and address details of the gas agency where you want to transfer the connection.
Step 4: Submit the letter, gas regulator & gas connection voucher in person at your current gas agency. It’s important to note that the person who holds the gas connection should submit the documents in person. If the gas connection is on your name, you should go in person instead of sending your siblings, spouse, parents or others.
Step 5: With in minutes after submission of the documents, you will get gas transfer voucher that looks similar to your gas connection voucher that you submitted.
By completing the above process you are half the way through in transfer process. The next half needs to be done at the new gas agency.
Complete Transfer Formalities By Submit Transfer Voucher At New Gas Agency
So most likely that you are at new house and trying to settle down. To complete the transfer process and book a gas cylinder from the new gas agency here is what you need to do.
Step 1: Get address proof document for your new house address. The easiest way is to get address proof letter from your employer. If not get the lease/rental agreement from your house owner in case you moved to a rental house. The other options for getting address proof is to approach nearest Post Office to get address proof. I got letter from my employer and it’s was a matter of few minutes.
Step 2: Get photocopies of address proof, id proof documents and also have the originals handy as you need to produce them when requested by gas agency people.
Step 3: Okay you got all the thing required – photocopies of address proof & id proof, gas transfer voucher and gas regulator device. Submit all these things at the new gas agency and they should complete the process of accepting the transfer in 15 minutes time. I had to pay Rs. 55/- towards transfer charges. It may vary depending on agency or location.
Step 4: Upon complete of transfer process, they will issue a new gas voucher and a new consumer number that you can use for booking gas cylinders from now onwards. Once I received the new consumer number, straight away I booked for refill cylinder.
In the span of 2 weeks I completed the process and I had to visit the agencies multiple times as I did not carry gas regulator for verification. Dealing with Government offices is not an easy task; we need lot of patience and time (or money).