CNG queues: IGL told to up dispensing capacity
Concerned over long queues at CNG stations in Delhi-NCR, the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has directed Indraprastha Gas Limited to increase the dispensing capacity of all NCR units, particularly in Delhi, where queues not only lead to long wait times but also cause traffic congestion. The directions were issued at a meeting last week, where EPCA asked IGL about its installed capacity in Delhi and what was actually being dispensed. The EPCA pointed out that there were long queues, often overflowing into the road, at stations such as the one at Delhi Gate. Ramping up efficiency at CNG stations, claims IGL Sunita Narain, member of EPCA and director general of Centre for Science and Environment, said the CNG situation had become so severe that there were only two solutions – to either increase efficiency or to tell people that no more CNG conversions should take place as Delhi cannot cater to the required demand. “You have to maximise capacity in the existing stations and improve both the compression and dispensing capacity,” said Narain. Delhi-NCR at present has 452 CNG stations with a combined capacity of 76 lakh kg per day. However, the dispensing capacity is only around 31 lakhs. IGL officials said the dispensing could be increased to around 50% which is the ‘optimum’ mark. To reduce long queues, IGL has also been providing discounts of Rs 1.50 per kg between 12.30am to 5.30am every day. “Fifty more CNG stations are coming up in NCR, 27 of these in Delhi, and this should add another 5 lakh kg of capacity. We are also working on improving efficiency levels at stations,” said an IGL spokesperson. TOI visited several popular CNG stations on Wednesday and found long queues spilling over onto the road. Waiting for CNG refills were mostly auto or cab drivers, many of them angry. “On an average, you have to wait for 20-25 minutes to get the fuel, but on days you can even end up waiting for an hour. The situation is really bad during the day but we have no option but to wait in line,” said Lal Babu Ram, an auto driver outside a CNG station on Lodhi road. Things were no better at Delhi Gate or IP extension with fuelling attendants insisting they were doing their level best. “Each vehicle takes around three-four minutes to fill. Things get better after 8pm. However between 12 noon to 8pm you have to handle hundreds of vehicles every hour,” said an operator at Delhi Gate. Som Dutt, an Uber driver who was also in queue to get CNG said the wait dupes them of nearly an hour of working time. Passengers also refuse to allow them to stop to refuel. “If we are crossing a CNG pump, we sometimes notice that the queue is short but the customers don’t want to wait. If we come after a drop, we spend nearly 30 minutes to an hour, especially during the day. Most cab drivers now wait for midnight to get a discount and shorter queues,” said Dutt. Sarfaraz Khan, another auto driver near ITO said sometimes they have to fill CNG twice in a day. “Most drivers wait for early morning to head to a CNG pump. However, you have no option to wait in long queues if you are running short of fuel during the da,” said Khan.