Snaking lines outside Mumbai’s 140 CNG outlets block traffic, trigger honking

Honking by cars and buses has become a daily nuisance outside 140 petrol pumps in the city that

dispense CNG to four lakh private cars, one lakh auto rickshaws and 35,000 taxis. While autos form a

long queue for filling up gas, there is another parallel queue of cars and taxis, which results in almost

half the road (two lanes) being occupied by parked vehicles.

"This is a daily problem and oncoming vehicles, which want to go ahead and not fill gas or petrol at

the station, keep honking while passing by," said Ravi Shinde of Petrol Dealers' Association. The body

has now decided to approach traffic police to seek their assistance in curbing the honking menace.

"We are requesting cops to deploy a traffic warden near most CNG-filling outlets so that parked

vehicles form a proper queue, traffic in the area is regulated, and honking minimized," he said.

A group of CNG pump owners is likely to petition police in this connection soon. A pump owner from

Ghatkopar said, "Unlike petrol or diesel, refilling gas takes time. Sometimes there is a problem with

the machine and we have to wait for the right pressure to fill up gas."

Thampy Kurien of Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union said he has been appealing to auto drivers to form

proper queues. "The double lane queue outside CNG pumps should be stopped. In fact, I have

proposed that every CNG outlet should have a ground-plus- one-storey structure, wherein CNG

vehicles are provided with gas supply on the ground floor, and the petrol/diesel cars can be driven

through a ramp to the first floor of refuelling. This will ensure more space for CNG vehicles not just

to park, but more fuel nozzles so that the waiting period is reduced. This will also reduce honking by

over 50%." He suggested doubling of gas-filling nozzles from five to six nozzles at present.

Shinde said pump attendants will be trained to request motorists humbly not to honk. "We plan to

put up posters and boards at pumps to discourage honking." TOI will mark August 22 as a 'No

Honking Day'.

NGS INDIA