The Hindu : New Delhi News : ‘No CNG for pvt. vehicles’

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Sunday, Jul 20, 2008
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New Delhi

‘No CNG for pvt. vehicles’

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT) has urged the authorities to suspend CNG supplies to dual-fuel mode personal vehicles till additional gas stations are set up to ensure unhindered fuel supply to public transport vehicles, school buses and goods carriages.

The organisation this past May had sounded a note of warning about growing disparity between the demand and supply of CNG. It had also pointed out the problems being faced in allocating sites for 40 new CNG stations. According to an IFTRT release this week, the recent opening of schools and other educational institutions after the summer vacation coupled with the increase in dual-mode personal vehicles owing to rise in petrol prices has resulted in mounting demand for CNG. “It seems the conversion of almost 1.25 lakh personal cars into CNG mode has crippled the CNG supply to mass transport vehicles like buses, light goods carriers and auto-rickshaws in the region,” said the release.

The IFTRT had earlier said that the authorities concerned were duty-bound to ensure non-stop CNG supply to buses, auto-rickshaws and light goods vehicles as they were operating on single-fuel mode following court orders, whereas personal vehicles were being converted to CNG mode for economical pricing of the fuel. As an interim measure, the organisation has demanded that the Delhi Government in coordination with the Environment and Pollution Control Authority take urgent measures to streamline the supply of CNG to public transport vehicles.

In addition to the above, the IFTRT has proposed that conversion of private vehicles into the CNG mode should be banned and registration of new CNG-run light goods carriers should also be stopped with immediate effect till the year-end. In turn, registration of new high-technology diesel-run goods carriers be permitted in the region, said the release, adding that registration of new contract CNG-run carriage buses, except school-owned and low-floor buses ordered by the DTC for its fleet expansion should also be put on hold for the next six months.

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