Long queues, high prices: Motorists want more CNG stations in Capital
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Long queues, high prices: Motorists want more CNG stations in Capital
* Only 64 CNG stations operational in Islamabad compared to 250 in Rawalpindi
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: The motorists of the capital are facing problems due to lack of sufficient number of CNG stations that could cater to their needs.The motorist told Daily Times that due to the shortage of CNG stations in the capital, they had to wait in long queues to get the fuel tanks of their vehicles refilled. They said that since there were a few CNG stations in Islamabad, there was no competition among them, whereas in Rawalpindi, where there were plenty of CNG stations, motorists were being offered a discount of up to 30 percent.“As there are a few CNG stations in the capital, it is very difficult to get the fuel tank of your car filled during rush hours,” Khurram Bukhari, a motorist told Daily Times.Bukhari said that CNG stations at F-8 Markaz remained crowded, as session courts and a number of educational institutions were located in the sector. The motorists of F-6 and F-7 sectors said that they were also facing same problems. They said that CNG stations were always overcrowded, as a large number of people visited the famous malls located in these sectors.“It is next to impossible to get the fuel tank of your car refilled at Super Market, or Jinnah Super Market CNG stations, as both stations are almost always overcrowded,” Rai Hasnain, a resident of F-6 told Daily Times. He said that the CNG filling took more time as compared to petrol filling and that the motorists had to wait in long queues in harsh weather. The residents of sector F-10, G-6,7, 8, and those living in Bara Kahu said that they had to travel for miles to get fuel tanks of their cars refilled.“From Faizabad to Bara Kahu, there is only one CNG station near Convention Centre,” Raja Israr said.When Daily Times contacted the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) officials, they said that they had issued licences to more than 150 investors to set up CNG stations in the capital. However, they added that around 64 CNG stations were either operational or near completion in Islamabad, including those operating in far-flung areas such as Sihala, Humak Rawat, Fateh Jang and other rural areas. The OGRA officials said that more than 250 CNG stations were operating in Rawalpindi.Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Director Ziaul Islam told Daily Times that 1.8 million vehicles in the country had been converted to CNG and that the conversion was still going on. The Pak-EPA director said that 149 CNG stations had been issued licences by the OGRA. He said that licences were issued to CNG stations by violating relevant laws and that CNG stations were set up without observing any minimum distance between stations. Consequently, he said, there were a very few stations in some areas, whereas there were more CNG stations in some areas than needed such as Tramri Chowk and Peshawar Road.An OGRA official told Daily Times on the condition of anonymity that no proper procedure was followed during the issuing of licences due to political pressure. He said that leadership obliged people and politicians by issuing CNG station licences. He also said that due to directions from then prime minister Shaukat Aziz to reduce dependence on petrol, maximum number of CNG station licences were issued. He also said that the Ministry of Environment was very active in supporting CNG-fed transport and establishing maximum number of stations in the country. He said that if there was any corruption, the Pak-EPA was also a part of that, as every station was approved from the Pak-EPA before construction. He held the CDA equally responsible for the unplanned growth. CDA officials told Daily Times that they were reviewing the licensing procedures and would soon allow construction of new CNG stations if required.
Long queues, high prices: Motorists want more CNG stations in Capital
* Only 64 CNG stations operational in Islamabad compared to 250 in Rawalpindi
By Atif Khan
ISLAMABAD: The motorists of the capital are facing problems due to lack of sufficient number of CNG stations that could cater to their needs.The motorist told Daily Times that due to the shortage of CNG stations in the capital, they had to wait in long queues to get the fuel tanks of their vehicles refilled. They said that since there were a few CNG stations in Islamabad, there was no competition among them, whereas in Rawalpindi, where there were plenty of CNG stations, motorists were being offered a discount of up to 30 percent.“As there are a few CNG stations in the capital, it is very difficult to get the fuel tank of your car filled during rush hours,” Khurram Bukhari, a motorist told Daily Times.Bukhari said that CNG stations at F-8 Markaz remained crowded, as session courts and a number of educational institutions were located in the sector. The motorists of F-6 and F-7 sectors said that they were also facing same problems. They said that CNG stations were always overcrowded, as a large number of people visited the famous malls located in these sectors.“It is next to impossible to get the fuel tank of your car refilled at Super Market, or Jinnah Super Market CNG stations, as both stations are almost always overcrowded,” Rai Hasnain, a resident of F-6 told Daily Times. He said that the CNG filling took more time as compared to petrol filling and that the motorists had to wait in long queues in harsh weather. The residents of sector F-10, G-6,7, 8, and those living in Bara Kahu said that they had to travel for miles to get fuel tanks of their cars refilled.“From Faizabad to Bara Kahu, there is only one CNG station near Convention Centre,” Raja Israr said.When Daily Times contacted the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) officials, they said that they had issued licences to more than 150 investors to set up CNG stations in the capital. However, they added that around 64 CNG stations were either operational or near completion in Islamabad, including those operating in far-flung areas such as Sihala, Humak Rawat, Fateh Jang and other rural areas. The OGRA officials said that more than 250 CNG stations were operating in Rawalpindi.Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Director Ziaul Islam told Daily Times that 1.8 million vehicles in the country had been converted to CNG and that the conversion was still going on. The Pak-EPA director said that 149 CNG stations had been issued licences by the OGRA. He said that licences were issued to CNG stations by violating relevant laws and that CNG stations were set up without observing any minimum distance between stations. Consequently, he said, there were a very few stations in some areas, whereas there were more CNG stations in some areas than needed such as Tramri Chowk and Peshawar Road.An OGRA official told Daily Times on the condition of anonymity that no proper procedure was followed during the issuing of licences due to political pressure. He said that leadership obliged people and politicians by issuing CNG station licences. He also said that due to directions from then prime minister Shaukat Aziz to reduce dependence on petrol, maximum number of CNG station licences were issued. He also said that the Ministry of Environment was very active in supporting CNG-fed transport and establishing maximum number of stations in the country. He said that if there was any corruption, the Pak-EPA was also a part of that, as every station was approved from the Pak-EPA before construction. He held the CDA equally responsible for the unplanned growth. CDA officials told Daily Times that they were reviewing the licensing procedures and would soon allow construction of new CNG stations if required.
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